This volume, the fourth in a series of fourteen, delves into the unique landscape of music in America, exploring the past, present, and future of American musical evolution. It emphasizes the role of America as a melting pot for musical influences and the transformative effect of its democratic ideals on the art of music. The book addresses the historical journey of musical appreciation, creation, and administration in America, highlighting the nation's journey from merely absorbing the musical traditions of the Old World to forging its own distinct musical identity.
The work critically examines the influence of various cultural and racial musical heritages, including those of European immigrants, African Americans, and Native Americans, on the American musical scene. It also discusses the significant impact of German musical traditions and the subsequent diversification brought about by other European
influences.
Authort: Various
Editort: Mason, Daniel Gregory, 1873-1953
Title: The art of music, Vol. 04 (of 14) : Music in American
Original Publication: New York: National Society of Music, 1915.
Credits: Andrus V. Galia, Jude Eylander and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Language: English
In the circle of musical development of which Philadelphia was the centre, Andrew Adgate of that city was the leading spirit. In 1784 he established an 'Institution for the Encouragement of Church Music' supported by subscription and governed by trustees. So fervent was Adgate in the cause of 'music for the people' that, as conductor of the institution, he organized 'public singings,' which became so popular that within a year the trustees, objecting to 'the indiscriminate assemblage' of the general public, restricted admission to subscribers. Adgate thereupon resigned his position and established a free school, 'Adgate's Institution for diffusing more generally the knowledge of vocal music.' It is significant of the public spirit of the 'cradle of independence' that he found a number of influential men willing to act as trustees of the new organization. The splendid institution
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Inviting requests to join these free classes, Adgate announced: 'The more there are who make this application and the sooner they make it, the more acceptable will it be to the trustees and the teacher.' Adgate's Institution had a marked influence in Philadelphia in the development of musical appreciation, which is an essential precedent in
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Foreign music teachers after trying vainly in other places, such as New York, for something like remunerative recognition, finally found it in the city whose civic spirit had been broadened by Adgate to include artistic as well as material progress. Among these may be mentioned William Tuckey, already noted; the English musician, Rayner Taylor, who came to America in 1792; and Filippo Trajetta, a Venetian, the son of the noted composer Tomaso Trajetta. Filippo was trained by the best masters, notably Piccini; entering the revolutionary army of Italy, he was captured by the royalists, but, escaping, fled to America, arriving in Boston in 1799, where he taught singing. He toured through the South as a theatrical manager, and finally settled in Philadelphia, teaching and composing music ('Washington's Dead March' being his most popular
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He published 'Rudiments of the Art of Singing' as a text-book for the 'American Conservatorio,' an institution established in Philadelphia by his pupil, Uri K. Hill; in this he advocated the Italian system of _solfeggio_ to supersede the 'defective sol-fa-ing' in universal use in America. In New England, more particularly Boston, we find that the foreign influence was making itself felt in music through 'The Massachusetts Compiler,' a work which embodied something of the theory of music as given in the works of German, French, and English authorities. The introduction of this element was probably due to Hans Gram, the German
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