Nappanee High School - Napanet Yearbook (Nappanee, IN)

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NAPPANEE SCHOOLS This music lias come down to us, by no means in its own original form, owing to the fact that it is anonymous and frequently undergoes slight changes. It was affected by contract with art-music, which gradually polished it. removing the rough characteristic touches. Since these changes have occurred, Germany has set the standard for modern music. It has been the Mecca of the musical world. No other country has ever produced a greater number of renowned composers ami musicians, whose works have stood the test of time. A great deal of the music which has been written by famous composers of Germany, contains that deep, heavy, martial air which is characteristic of the people of that country. It is full of deep meaning: not of pathos, but—we might say, romance and reverence. Some of the most beautiful melodies ever produced, have been adapted to church hymns, and were composed by Weber, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Hayden, all illustrious German musical poets. I nlike the German music, that of Italy, France, and Spain, is of a light, airy type used especially as accompaniments for dances ami popular songs. It portrays vividly the disposition of the people of these countries; that nervous temperament, quick action and dramatic touch is easily detected. Much of the great music, representing these nations, has been in the form of operas. Spain has never produced a composer of very great renown, while Verdi, well represents by his operas, the golden era of Italian music. From France have come a number of musicians, but only a few who have become famous; the most important of these being Offenbach and Gounoud. Probably no other country in all history has been more crushed by political troubles, than Poland. Formerly, in Poland's flowering time, the more powerful, aristocrats surrounded by a group of lesser nobles, lived a life of martial activity, but were at the same time lovers and patrons of the arts. The national character grew out of this life. As a nation, they were an impulsive, noble, generous people. Later the pressure of political affairs became so great that their national characteristics were changed, to emotion and melancholy. Chopin bv means of his music, has expressed the pure essence of Polish national character. Chopin’s own life was far from happy and in portraying his innermost thoughts and emotions, he has also put into his music the characteristics of his unfortunate countrymen. Paderwski is another more modern Polish musical poet. Of whom do we generally think when we hear those wild, weird, mystic strains of music, which sometimes fascinate us and then again,—depending on our state of mind,—grate on our ears with a harsh, vulgar sound? The common answer to this seems to be the American Indian. What other kind of music could we expect, from a race, who in their uncivilized state, thought very little about anything besides hunting, fishing, or their homely pleasures, which generally consisted of war-dances? No other variety could be expected and yet to a certain degree, they show their great love and appreciation of nature, in addition to their warlike characteristics. America, as yet has not been classed with the world's greatest musical nations. It is now approaching the moment of its greatest power, however, and there are many fields awaiting some great tone Poet. E. A. MacDowell realized this and triumphed nobly, before Fate put an all too early end to his life work. The musical future of America is limitless. Americans are beginning to understand what a great part, music has to plav in the life of a nation, and they realize that their children are a part of the nation, so American children of today are being taught the value of music as a wholesome recreation, and as an aid in the development of character. With these thoughts instilled in the minds of the younger generation, why should not the future of musical America be bright? The foreign countries which are now stricken by war, and which have claimed the honor due them, will for a while after the close of the war, have very little time for art development, and consequently America will have a cuanee. Our people and others, as well, will discover the efforts and achievements of American musicians, who remind us of this stanza, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: ‘‘The heights of great men reached and kept Were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept Were toiling upward in the night.” And we can agree with Walt N hitman when he says: “I hear America singing: the strongest and sweetest songs remain to be sung”. IS THIS THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN LITERATURE? JOSEPH IN E LEHMAN WHEN one speaks of the Golden Age of Lit phase of literature is portrayed and when it is such erature he means the time when the litera- literature as will live. The question is, ‘‘Is this the ture of a country is at its best, when every Golden Age of American Literature?” I think that Page Thirty-on«

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THE TIGER Liveth”. Lind was a lark that soared with the blue with her song. Patti was a delightful warbler among the flowers in the garden. What of .fenny Lind the womanf She was a girlish figure medium in height with fair hair and light blue eyes. Her features were plain and somewhat coarse and in repose there was a lack of svmetry, but while singing her face was most fac-inating. Her gait was grace itself. There was music in her very looks and motion. While deliver ing her songs her face seemed to be transfigured and to gain a beauty which was not manifested in repose. In her dress she was very simple and plain. In her experiences in matrimonial scandals, no hair-breath escapes no jewel robberies. She had all the characteristics of a plain woman indeed. She was ••Jenny” with every one. not Signora Lind or Mile., Lind or Miss Lind, but plain Jenny Lind. After her arrival at New York, the stores were full of Jenny Lind bonnets, gloves, coats, hats, and fineries of every description. Her portraits were in every shop window. The choice dishes xf hotel menus were a la Jenny Lind. There were Jenny Lind stages, and steam boats, cafes and coat rooms. All the girls of that day imitated her coiffures, and costumes, and many of them sought to imitate her gait. One enterprising hardware dealer advertised, 11 Jenny Lind tea kettles which, being placed on the fire, commence to sing in a few minutes” This not only in New York but every place all over the country. In 1852 she was married to Otto Goldschmidt, who was conducting the Bach Choir at that time in Boston. Her married life was a very happy one. She afterwards left the stage for good only appearing at intervals for some charitable object. MUSIC—AN INTERPRETATION OF LIFE MARION BREVIER CARLYLE has said: “Music is a kind of inarticulate. unfathomable speech, which leads us on to the edge of the infinite”. Of all the forms of art which genius has devised to make our lives more beautiful, there is none which is so intimately associated with our every experience; none which is such close sympathetic touch with every phase of life’s emotions, dreams, and aspirations, as music. There is no one who has not felt, and has not been gratified to find, their various moods and emotions expressed in the strains of great music. One might ask—Is there a real need—a human need for music in every-day life? What is one of of the main objects in life? Everyone will agree that one great aim in life is happiness. But, we must then ascertain what can produce real happiness. The artist and philosopher would say that happiness comes through the appreciation of beauty. The minister would say that happiness, from his view point, comes through useful service. In the first case, beauty does not mean that sort, which appeals to the eye alone—but, in order to obtain the deeper meaning, we must comprehend that supernatural beauty which comes to us through the creative mind of the artist. In this respect, the artist is closer to God. than the rest of mankind, and, being gifted with a vision of beauty, which the ordinary world has not yet perceived, he is able, through his art, to make that vision real to the world. Music, which truly comes from the soul of the artist, uplifts the soul of interpreter ami makes him have higher aims and better ideals. Thus we find that the composer and interpreter serve humanity, since by hearing this music thousands are helped and inspired to greater things. Music is well named a Lniversal Language, not only because it is understood and felt in every land, by every race, but because it voices, and to some extent influences, the universal experience of all by every race, but because it voices, and to some it is also a national language; for, each nation has music which characterizes the life of its own people. This music, which we term as “folk-music”, owes its existence to the characteristic compositions of a few individuals. These themes are worked out by the composer in such a way, that they express his emotions, and perhaps his national sentiment, which the composer has attempted to convey, and readily adopt it. The general idea concerning folk-music is, that it is the sort of music which is composed and used, chiefly, by a certain class of people and therefore it does not escape from this limited realm. This is not altogether true; for the folk-songs of some na tions have been used by famous composers, of other nations, in their compositions which have inspired the whole world. This is particularly noticable in the case of Hungarian folk-music, which has provided material not only for native composers, but also for Germans, Hadyn made good use of folk music and in more recent times. Liszt collected a great number of the Magyar melodies, as played bv the Gypsies, and used them in the themes for his Hungarian Rhapsodies. Schubert also was so charmed by the Magyar melodies that he copied some of them and used them in his works. Of all European countries, Germany probably has the greatest number and variety of good folk songs. Pa e Thirty

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THE TIG E R it may be truthfully stated we are living, at least, in the dawn of such a Golden Age. The modern period of literature goes back to the year 1860. There iH a marked distinction between our literature before and after 1860. It is the distinction between romance ami realism. The former term applies to earlier literature and the latter to that of the present day. Realism does not shrink from the unpleasant and portrays life as it really is. Literature of the modern age is of more different divisions than it was in the Eighteenth Century. The novel, short story, poetry, history, philosophy, science and the drama are some of the fields into which modern literature may be divided. One of our late novelists is .lack London, lie has written many books but the one which is regarded as the greatest is “The Call of the Wild’ . It is the one of his works which will live. London was one of our modern day authors who dared to write of life as it really is, just as he had seen it. .lean Stratton Porter and Booth Tarkington are two of our Indiana writers who are greatly appreciated. Mark Twain, one of our humerous novelists, has entertained many with “Huckleberry Finn” ami “Tom Sawyer’ , lie has contributed to literature in that, being a critic as well as a jester, he was able to apply these powers to the presentation of Western life of the mid-century. The number of magazines and newspapers published in this country has been increasing every year. Then came a need for the short story because complete serials could not be published in one issue. There is a difference between the short story and a story that is short. The short story is rapid in action with every scene stamped vividly on the mind. Edgar Allen Poe was the first writer who perfected the short story. Mr. O. Henry is one of the late short story writers. He has the power of describing countries in a way that makes yon feel as if you had lived there. Edward Everett Hale is another short story writer. One of his stories is “The Man Without a Country” which is read by so many. Poetry, although not a new division still lives although it was prophesied that poetry in our age would be neglected. Our Hoosier poet, .lames Whitcomb Riley has been called “The Poet of America’s Youth”. Although it has been said that Riley wrote only a sweetened version of the truth of life “the fact remains that Riley was a true poet, the clearness and sweetness and humor of whose work have been a wholesome influence scarcely to be measured ' ’. History might be divided into two sections, the historical novel which relates history in an inter esting and impressive way, and the other section narrating historical facts. Many persons who do not care to read plain history obtain information through the historical novel. Miss Grace King has been highly praised for her historical novel, “The Pleasant Wavs of Saint Medard.” “Ben llur ’ was written by another Indiana writer, General Lew Wallace. Belonging to the second class is Richard Harding Davis whose histories are used in many schools as textbooks. John ('lark Ridpath is another famous historian. Philosophy and science are growing interesting every year. We read of the many new inventions until we think that “everything under the sun” which could be of use has already had a patent. One of our great modern American scientists and inventors is Thomas A. Edison, lie will long b? remembered by the world for the results of his work. Mr. Bell, inventor of the Bell Telephone has done a lasting good. The drama is a form of literature that the people demand. It was the type in which the American writers could not equal the artists of Europe. However there is, because of the European War, a hopeful outlook for the American drama at the present time. Authors in Europe gave up writing in order to aid their country, and, as a good drama will always be demanded by the public, the American playwright must supply it. Before this time our dramatists have been criticised and pushed aside to the advantage of foreign writers. But under the present circumstances his work is easily accepted. This fact should and will help to make the American drama first class. We have often heard it said that until we stand by our hooks and periodicals, lit erature will be second rate. It is the same with the drama. This is one of the opportunities that the war has brought to America. George Ade, of Ade, Indiana is one of the best dramatists of tins day. He will be remembered for his serial dramas, “The Follies’’, the first of which was written in 1910, as well as his scenarios “Fables in Slang” which are very popular. Modern literature lives in an age of opportunity. Many people are of the opinion that there never will be any literature produced equal in quality to that of the past. They think it worth while to read ••lassie literature only and leave our current liter ature, untouched. Why our current literature, even the comic, is the most serious part of all literature because it tells of our manners and customs, of our problems and questions, of what is happening in our own country at the present time! Moreover our American writers are the cleverest in the world, with the exception, perhaps, of the Fench and our works are free from the marks of decadence in the English paradox and the French morbidity. The Great European War has had an important effect upon American literature in more respects than the drama. In the past it was said that war seemed to produce more literature. This is not true of the present day for was decreases the output of World literature. Several reasons may be given for this; the people are fast beginning to realize more and more that war is a barbarism and should Pa ?e Thirty-two