Philadelphia Conservatory of Music - Variations Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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,-g,,fj.Qigl , Xlrril- 1 IQ 1 1 EJ QVQTW' b Fi 2I.if.m.,,f,h.f,iwy A maferialisfic age pays liffle affenfion fo spirifual maffers. How- ever, many people foday, appalled by fhe ferrifying holocausf we have iusf been fhrough, have begun fo ask quesfions a maferialisfic world concepfion cannof answer. Everyone forfunafe enough fo be giffed for music, fo have fhe opporfunify fo live wifhffor music, can help dispel fhe shadow of maferi- alism, can help fo answer fhe quesfions of fhose who seek somefhing maferialism cannof give. l We can do fhis by remembering ever fhe divine origins of music, so fhaf, in feaching, performing, or composing, fhere will be fell' a reverence for fhe arf fhaf has broughf ioy and comforl' fo man fhrough all cenfuries. We musf make sure fhe BEING of MUSIC ITSELF speaks fhrough 'rhe music we make, for fhen if will become impossible 'ro USE music for purposes of self-expression, self-seeking, self-adulafion. Lef us seek consciously fo permeafe music wifh fhe spirif fo save if from becoming a dead and lifeless arf. ln so doing we furfher nof only fhe evolufion of music, buf fhaf of mankind, fo whom all arf was- in fhe beginning -enfrusfed. PAUL NORDOFF Foofnofe: The aufhor is indebfed fo fhe work of Rudolf Sfeiner fhrough which fhe convicfions expressed in 'rhis arficle were inspired.

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zzrzizfzizn mo.aef.f5QQ?jQ2 s r, PJ I VanH r A1 lr driv- v :rl The maferialisfic age in which we live has casf ifs dark shadow over music, fhe mosf spirifual of fhe arfs. A musical career foday is seldom a dedicafion-more offen a neurofic exhibifionism depending for ifs success on personalify, pull, and publicify. There are fwo imporfanf quesfions every aspiranf for musical honors should aslc himself: I. Do l sing lor play, or composel because l love MUSIC, or be- cause l love fo sing lor play, or composel? 2. ls my inferesf primarily in myself and a successful career, or in furfhering and nurfuring fhe arf of music? l do nof mean fo beliffle amlaifion or fhe love for performing, buf if seems fo me fhese should play a minor role in fhe musician's life. The origins of our Wesfern music are obscure, buf mosf hisforians favor fhe fheory fhaf if arose as a means of enhancing fhe funcfions and purposes of religion. In fhe greaf schools of Greece, and earlier in fhe Mysfery Schools and Temples of ancienf Egypf and ancienf Persia, music was parf of fhe insfrucfion given, an insfrucfion fhaf re- garded music, science, and religion as having a common source. Thaf source was fhe spirifual world. ' Q,

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As a member of fhe alumni for IO ears, if is a leasure fo ive Y expression fo my alma mafer di musica. lf is frue fhaf a house builf on a roclc foundafion will nof be forn or uproofed by fhe winds of fime. lf is also frue fhaf, alfhough we learn by experience, if is only fhose of us who have been guided in youfh by a sfrong hand who can in furn give of fhemselves fo ofhers in age. Wifhin fhe arf, as in any phase of wisdom, we have many who acclaim a public name. These personalifies we honor and respecf for fhe loyal and unselfish giving of fheir lives fo fhe purpose of arf. We have, also, fhose who never claim fhe public, buf who serve iusf as faifhfully and sincerely in fhe frue arf. I Cne masfer, Roberf Schumann, said, Genius creafes, falenf sfrug- gles. lf seems fhaf fhese fwo elemenfs mighf somehow mingle fogefher. When one creafes, does nof one sfruggle? Likewise, does nof a sfruggle bring forfh a creafion in some form? Why fhen did Schumann puf fhe fwo phrases in fhe same breafh? And if he meanf fhem fo be confrasf- ing, such as fhe fwo main fhemes of our beloved Sonafa form, does nof fhe Sonafa have coherency? Thus, in fhis respecf, if can be said of fhe Philadelphia Conservafory fhaf fhrough ifs doors info fhe profession of music have walked many of bofh genius and falenf. When an organizafion of learning has done fhis, if has accom- plished fhe ulfimafe. Wifh each year of confinued service fo fhe arf of music, we come fo feel fhe securify of knowledge and 'rhe confidence of expression fhaf was insfilled in us as sfudenfs af fhe Philadelphia Conservafory. May I 'ralce fhis chance fo fhanlc fhe Direcfors and Faculfy for fhe frufh of fhe learning fhaf fhey so willingly gave me and fo fhe enfire school for fhe personal warmfh and noble afmosphere fhaf surrounded me as a sfudenf and fhaf has profecfed me as a professional. May l also wish fhe Conservafory endless nuclei for genius and falenf and unending success in fhe developmenf of fhe living arf-music. JANE M. KOLB