Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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MODERN MUSIC The school of Modurii JMusic in geiifr:il is a direct outgrowtli of the Roiiiaiitie school. It may be said tliat as Richard Wagner ' s works mark Ihc highest achievemeufr of the Romantic school, and are the fonndation of modern opera, so tlic woi ' ks of Franz Lis ,t staiul in the same relation to instrumental music. With the exception of Brahms, the greatest modern Gei man master, and his followers, ' ill mo(U ' rn composers of instrumental and oper- at ' c music, have founded their work on the two basic principles of the Romantic school — programme music and nationality. We know that programme music is music written to depict a series of scenes, events, or incidents. But what do we mean by na- tionality Ever since the writing of music 1 ecame a consciously developed art, there have been certain tiai ' .s, certain eiiaracteristics in the music of any one nation oi any one race, wliicli distinguish it from the music of any other. Thus the Italians early became identified with sweetness of melody; the Germans witli massive chords and rich har monies; and the French with distinctive rhythms. The Romanticists and musicians of the modern school have not only respected these national peculiarities, but have sought to define and emphasize them. By study- ing the folk tunes of their own people, some of the best modern composers have been able to catch a genuine national spirit, and incor- porate it into their own works. In doing so, they have given music, as a whole, a new in- terest and a new vitality. The music produced on French soil has always had a decidedly national flavor; its vitality has never been exhausted ; and in no country at the present day is musical energy more active, ambitious, and individual. At the same time there is always to be found in France, a marked tendency toward the pro- gramme type of music. The French mind is disinclined to think abstractly. It demands words, a subject, a story, a definite hint of some kind to stimulate the fancy and give a pict uresque character to the composition. Those qualiti.es of picturesqueness and nation- ality, combined with a newly-awakened in- terest in purely instrumental music, may be said to dominate the newer school of French musical art, out of which have developed many of the outstanding mastarpiecea in modern instrumental music. The true founder of the modern French school was Csesar Franck (1822-1890) whose entire life was given to the cause of develop- ing French instrumental music. Until his recent death, the senior among great modern French composers was Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921), who wrote a great numlior of works in all forms. The uni(|UO genius of the modern French school, an ultra-modernist so-called, was Claude Debussy (1862-1920), whose rare comljinations of instrumental effects are ab- solutely original in the world of mus c. While France was thus reaching forward to newer and newer possibilities in musical express ' iOn, her neighl)ors, the other Euro- pean countries, were meeting with various degrees of success i art. Italy, once the standard-bearer of musical progress, shows at the beginning of the twentieth century, no such vitality and promise as France. Italian composers have been numerous, but few have made a deej) impression outside of their own country. Two of those who have arc Mali- piers and Riapighi. But i,n the general mind, Italian music is associated with opera. Verdi and Puccini are the composers in that line whose names rank first in Italy. Indeed Puc- cini (1858- ) i§ the foremost Italian com- poser of opera today. His reputation has reached its height in the operas La Boheme (1897), Tosca (1900), and JNIadame Butter- fly (1904). The last-named work has made an especial appeal to the world, by reason of the delicacy and beauty with which the touch- ing history of the deceived and forsaken Japanese girl is treated by the composer. Among the new national schools, the later Russvin holds an especially conspicuous place. The relation of art to national life is no- where more ajiparent than in Russia, for just as the people ' s voice is heard in Russia ' s pow- erful and gloomy literature, so likewise a tone of struggle is perceptible in its music, a con- sciousness of undeveloped strength, an un- certainty as to what direction shall be taken when this strength is at last set free. Russia is searching for the native materials that shall give her music and individuality, grati- fying to the national pride. Among some of the famous Russian com- posers are Anton Rul)iiistein, Peter Tschaikow- sky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Modeste Mous- se rgsky. In any broad discussion of modern music, Bohemia — once described by Wagner as the land of harp-players and street musicians — deserves a generous share of attention. In- deed that strange, romantic country has al-

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tiiG whole sehool. One class cannot be blamed for anything that happens there. If papers are left in crumpled balls on the tables or on the floor, it is not the seniors ' fault. Tf chairs are left in a tangled mass wliere everyone must fall over them, you cannot hold the juii- iois responsible. If dozens of straws are wasted every day, don ' t blame the freshmen. Tliis liusi.ness of appreciation is up to us all. Do not tliink yon can evade lules and be the only one to do it. Six hundred only ones make up the student body. It ought not to be necessary for Mr. Peter son to lecture us at assembly. He is not run- ning a reform school or a military academy. He appreciates our advantages; the towns- people appreciate our advantages, but do we appreciate them ? We are no worse than other schools iierlians, but let us have the signal honor of being lietter than any other school of our size in or out of the old state of Massachusetts. LENA IVANY. the gym is not only an added attraction in our sehool, but one which is both enjoyalile and necessary? EITA DOUCETTE. OUR GYM At last we Iiave a gymnasium. It is directly in front of the auditorium, separated liy mova))le sound-proof doors. These doors, an asset to the Dramatic Cl ub, can be arranged in a sort of semi-oircle, giving a very effec- tive background for tho stage setting of school plays. The gym floor is larger than many gyms found in the schools of the surrounding towns. The floor is large enough for an average-sized gym class, and also for a good-sized dancing party. To the right and left are the baskets for l)asketball; directly behind and above arc windows wliich are lowered by a sort of crank device. Along one wall 1,8 a small balcony with seats conveniently arranged for spec- tators. Directly overhead are two huge sky- lights which furnish ample light for the gym. ' ' Suspended from iron bars across the g.ym are rings and lopos used to strengthen the arm and leg muscles. All other gym cquin- iiiciit is usually kept in a snuill room to the right of the gymnasium. To the left of the gym are the girls ' lock- ers and showers. To the right, the boys ' lockers and showers. Every puijil is obliged to enter the gym in full gym uniform. If any parr is lacking, ;i low mark in gym is sure ( result. Everything considered, don ' t you agree that With our new Hi.gh School building have come loftier ideals. Our cover design and our cuts represent and symbolize the nen- seliool with its new ideals. For the cover design we have the main en- trance to our school, the doorway which we enter in pursuit of our ideals. The out for the Editorial Column symbol- izes our fust ideal. Scholarship. A girl is studying from her open book within the circle of perfection, which quality she is s.triving to attain. Two torches, typifying wisdom an 1 enlightenment, on either side, shed their light on her book. Near her are the tools necessary for an editor. Inspiration and Aspiration, two qualities we long to see in our new sehool, are symbol- ized in our Alumni heading. Within the circle of perfection is a ship, the symbol of youth eml)arking on the sea of life. The guiding star of the ship is aspiration, the pinnacle of success, and the birds flying above the shii) symboli .e inspiration. Many of our alumni start; but only a few gain complete success, as it requires much tiresome battling with winds and waves to overcome the storms of life. Self control is a quality which everyone should have l)ut which few practise. Our Battalion training teaches this valuable lesson. The cut headvig the 15attalion Notes typifies Self-Control. The military-clad youth, future protector of the nation, is practising his con- trol () er himself and his weapon to gain the best aim in life. We want leadership in our Athletics and want it badly. The l)asoball boy above the Athletic Notes will take the lead and keep it because lie lia.s lichind him the bundle of sticks which stand for aggressiveness, obedi- ence, concentration, and determination. It takes fun to rout all dullness and so we find tun r( ' |)it ' scnt( ' d in our heading calleil .lollity. T ' hese are some of the ideals we find within the doors of our new building. HELEN C( UBET, ' 24. THANKS— The editors thank all who have helped in the |iublication of the Debater; but they are especially grateful to the teachers and stu- dents in the typewriting department who typed all the manuscripts for the ])ress.

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ways been considered one of the most musi- cal in all Europe. Foremost of all Bohemian composers was Anton Dvorak, famous for his New WorM ■ Symphony. ' Some of the most delightful music of re- cent days has come from Scandinavia, Nor- way, Sweden and Denmark. The northern folksongs are of a peculiar and exquisite charm, and they have tinged all the work of the Scandinavian composers more or less, part ' icularly since the European Romantic movement threw the attention of the art world I)ack to the charaeteristic national suljjccts and racial feeling. By Scandinavian music we find that we com- monly mean Norwegian, for in music, both popular and artistic, Norway far excels Den- mark and SAveden. Of this Norwegian group, Edward Grieg was the most ijnportant figure. Musical culture among the English-speaking luitions, for a long time imijerfcctly developed, has begun to attain in the last few years a new vigor. The masses of the people are now learn- ing to appreciate what is best in musical art, and this learning is being strengthened by private teaching, schools, societies, and an ex- pajiding concert system. Musiq is vapidly becoming a part of popular life. Arthur Sulli.van was one of the first of the modern English musicians to gain distinction. . Following closely after Sullivan was Edward Elgar, reckoned by some as the greatest of modern English musicians, Samuel Coleridge- Taylor, born in 1875, was another to rank high among English musicians. Of the English composers now living, three esi)ecially deserve mention, Percy Grainger, Cyril Scott, and Ralph Vaughn Williams. The outstanding reason that I chose this subject was the vast importance of being familiar witli the musical tendenc ' iCs and charact eristics of not only our own country liut those of the others also. DOKIS FROST, ' 24. LIGHTS ABOVE The sun went down, And o ' er the hills The moon stole up, A sphere of gold, Lighting the dark woild ])elow. The stars put on their twi.nkling coats, To help the moon in hi ' fe good wprk. Making the black sky A niass of merry, shining, little lights. WINIFRED GEIZER, ' 26. Many times the question has been asked, When is a person educated? Walter Pater, a famous English writer, once gave this definition: Our education becomes complete in proportion as our susceptibility to impressions of the world iii which we live, received through the senses, increases in depth and variety. This definition nmy seem very complex to many of us, but perhaps if an example is given, i|t will become clearer. At Christmas time, through the effort of the Art Department, little drawings, appropriate for the season,, were made in some of the rooms. One of our teachers, upon entering the class room the next morning, was much moved by the beauty of this little sketch. All that day lines kept forming in her mind, and the next day she placed a little poem on the board. Within two days four original Christmas carols, three of these with original music, were passed to her. If the minds of these pupils had not been trained in some degree, neitlier the sketch nor the poem would have made any impression on them, nor would they have desired to put into their own words the emotions which they felt. It is this spontaneous exjjression of impres- sions tiiat wo receive from the world about us that reveals the degree of our education. BERTHA VIK. MAY May, beautiful May, month of love and hope, welcome ! We welcome you l)ecause you fre« life from fiuitful germs; because you prepare and se- cure the vintages and harvests; because you pour joy into man ' 8 heart. For you the sky clears; for you the earth covers itself with fragrant flowers and with fruits exceedingly sweet. Oh May! The heart of man is like a pre- cious cup which should not be enii)ty. Pour, lovely May, into it a yearning for al new joy, a. ncAV hope. Genial May! Warm these soft germs whi.ch we with careful hand and kindled mind, con- fide to the earth and moisten them with spring showers. Oh lovely month of May, warm, renew, fer- tilize! CORRADO ZAMMITTI.