Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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THE SPECTATOR 21 The officer, in a voice in which emotion mingled with stern- ness, gave the order, the soldiers leveled their muskets; the con- demned man’s lips moved as if in prayer. Another order, a vol- ley, and a brave, true spirit had enlisted in that other great army. The mother had her youngest boy to clasp to her breast. The country had received its sacrifice. What mattered it, a private more or less? The Power of Music As Described By English Poets EMILY FEARL, T2. Madame Lillian Nordica was returning from a concert tour; she went straight to her villa in France, accompanied only by her maid. Although she knew no servants were there at the time, she felt no alarm. At nearly midnight she and her maid sat talking together, with only the mellow moonlight flooding the room, when they heard a window off the south balcony being raised; and, a moment later, footsteps in the corridor. Almost paralyzed with fear, no one to help, no weapon at hand, the two sat. Suddenly there flashed over the prima donna a realization of her power of song. “It has moved thousands,” she thought; and with trembling notes she sang what had been uppermost in her thoughts before the entrance of the intruder, “Home, Sweet Home.” Her exquisite voice grew steadier, and it rang out in its clearest, purest strains. Then she sang “Old Folks at Home,” but her audience had gone. The maid saw a dark figure creep through the window and steal across the lawn and out the gate. Some weeks later Madame Nordica received the following letter: “Dear Madame: On the night of....... I entered your home to relieve you of all your diamonds, jewels, and money, but an angel song sang out in the sweet words of my mother’s songs and my hand and my heart were arrested. I vowed never again to do aught that would sorrow that sainted one. I am now engaged in honest work. God bless you!” The power of music is a favorite theme of English poets. They love to dwell upon the charming influences of melody. The motive of the power of music over the moods of man appear again and again in English poetry. Shakespeare was especially fond of writing about this subject. In “The Tempest Alonso was led, by the soothing notes of Ariel’s song, to seek his son Ferdinand ; the half-human Caliban, who was affected by no other kind of beauty, was charmed by the sound of music. Jessica, in

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20 THE SPECTATO R gone to sleep on his post; the brother with whom he had played, whom he loved and had promised to care for. Now it was his duty to see that Jimmie did not escape or fail to satisfy the stern decree of the court-martial. As he paced and turned, and paced again, his mother’s words kept ringing in his ears: “Take care of Jimmie. You are the older; stand between him and danger.” Yet he was compelled, by the order of an officer who had forgotten their relationship, or remembering, did not care, to stand between his brother and, not danger, but liberty and life. His love for his brother, and his promise to their mother, fought against his duty to his country and the commands of his superiors. The cold, calm moonlight shone on the face of that pacing sentinel, ut did not reveal the fierce conflict that raged within him. He thought of his mother who would weep at the death of her youngest boy, of the country that demanded a life for neglect of duty, of the mother he loved and to whom he had given his promise, and of the country he loved and had sworn to obey. Why had not some other man been put on guard ? No; that would mean death for his brother. He would keep his promise. He would see that the court's decree had its victim. . He would satisfy both mother and coun- try, both love and honor. “Where is your prisoner?” “He is gone.” “Gone! Gone where ?” “He is gone.” “Did you allow him to escape?” “Yes.” “Do you realize what that means to you?” “Yes.” “Why did you do it?” “He is my brother.” As the first streaks of sunlight broke through the dark veil an officer and a squad of men filed solemnly down the road with a prisoner between them. The shallow, new-made grave seemed to open its arms in welcome. The prisoner, with a calm and peaceful countenance, faced his executioners less moved than they at the tragedy about to be enacted. For him the suffering had ceased. He had done his duty, as it had appeared to him. He was ready to accept the consequences. He waved them back when they would have bandaged his eyes, saying: “I’m not afraid to look at death.”

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22 TH E SPECTATOR “The Merchant of Venice,” tells her lover that it makes her sad to hear the sweet strains of music. The Duke in “Twelfth Night, who did not stand in his lady’s grace, was consoled by strains of music. Browning wove the Bible story of Saul and David into a poem. In the poem Saul” he shows how powerfully the king was moved by the charm of harmony. Saul was sunk in awful dejection, from which he could not be aroused. Finally, before the king was brought the boy David, who played on his harp and sang; gradually the mighty king was touched, his limbs relaxed, his eyes softened and he became himself. In Dryden’s poem, “Alexander’s Feast, or The Power of Music,” the power of music over man is apparent. Alexander, the son of Philip, who has lately returned triumphant from his Persian conquests, is giving a banquet. He sits on a lofty throne with the lovelv Thais by his side. Opposite, in the midst of the choir, Sits Timo- theus with his lyre. The great musician sings in lofty tones of Jove; Alexander feels himself a god. Then he sings of Bacchus, ever young and fair; straightway the king becomes vain and valiant, three times fights his battles and three times kills his foe. Then, changing the song, Timotheus sings of Darius, whom Alexander conquered. The monarch revolves in his mind the various turns of chance, realizing that he too may fall victim to the same misfortune; at the thought he weeps. Then Timotheus changes his strain; he sings of love and pleasure; filled with amorous passion, Alexander sinks upon the breast of Thais. Sud- denly the music shouts “Refenge! revenge!” In excitement the king seizes a flambeau to destroy his enemies. Thus can music swell the soul of man to rage or kindle soft desire. Shakespeare, perhaps, expresses this thought more strongly than anv other poet when he says, “The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not mov’d with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; The motions of his spirit are dull as night, And his affections dark as Erebus: Let no such man be trusted.” The poets even imagine that nature is influenced by music. Shakespeare, Milton, and Dryden are fond of the legend that Orpheus magnetized forth trees and stones. This is, perhaps, most beautifully expressed by Dryden in the “Song for St. Cece- lia’s Day” when he says: “Orpheus could lead the savage race, And trees uprooted leave their place Sequacious of the lyre.”