Show o V no Y z J. J Cf I. I b tI s 0 ti 7 J. J t r 0 A C vr c WU r t p ott fl ti tir rI f f P lf-P V f i i i i WH V 1 r f 1 i f l. l 4 BATTLES FOIt ITS LIFEr LIFE LIFE- r r I. I f l' l i. i f 1 E- E j W. W 1 j 1 r i IV n 1 J tl J k 1 r r t 1 T N 1 I a z o ol i. i l r I i S X 1 f TIT 1 1 1 5 I 1 lUr lU- lU 0 o d o 0 7 r f p V c f 1 o 0 oP o oy I z 0 y r Y C r J If Invasion o of Music by Machines Machin s Turning Out r Canned Melodies Is s Not o Controlled Controlled- A O p Says a s Joseph ose N. N Weber e er President American Federation o of Musicians It Will V. V A Eventually Mean can Debasement o of the e Entire Art t r r a A Aa v x f i By Carol aro B Bird it itT rd AT T LAST metaphorically LAST metaphorically speaking speaking- th the nightingale has declared war on the jackdaw J Canned music which has insidiously be been supplanting the livin living branc brand ever since the advent of sound pictures has taken jobs rom thousands of professional musicians has threatened the life span of Americas America's famous s symphony orchestras conceded to be unsurpassed In the world doomed bu budding genius and spelled death to musical careers Is is' itself now In danger of extinction So believes Joseph N. N Weber president of ot the American Feder Federation Uon of Musicians whose organization tion has already enrolled between one and two million music-lovers music of America In a Music Defense League all protesting against further invasion of the art by machines The rebellious ones w who o are re re residents of every city in the Union are demanding that living music replace the canned variety TT WAS high time for a concerted moy movement ent of this kind lind according to the president of the musicians musicians' federation federation federation federa federa- tion for for mechanized music has already made tremendous progress and In time mIght convert this into a nation of listeners instead of producers He pointed pointed out that many thousands thousandS- of profeSsional professional pro pro- musicians all over the country have been thrown out of work b because cause of mechanized music which makes their services superfluous About third one of the musicians f formerly employed in theatres theatres theatres the the- atres lost their Jobs The annual sum surn that was formerly paid to the theatre fre musicians In fn America has been cut tit down ma many y millions ns o of dollars t Although some people believe belleve that tha a large luge number of musicians musicians' are employed In Irr the sound studios in Hollywood and New York this is not true added Mr Weber There are only about of them working an and l only part time and andI I 1 each r record cord they make is 15 multiplied from times Umes for distribution over the United States and Canada making the services of the Individual artist unnecessary une unnecessary un un- necessary e for any ny length of time Since symphony orchestras orchestras' depend to a certain extent on theatre orchestras for their personnel canned music also threat threatens ns these national Institutions Symphony orchestras in inthe the United States Slates particularly those of New York Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadel Philadel- phia Chicago St. St Louts Louis Minneapolis Los Angeles and San Safi Francisco are said tobe to tobe tobe be without rivals Their complete extinction would be bo world tragedies says s 's Mr Weber invasion of the field of music by machines Is not stopped it will eventually eventually ally me mean n debasement of the thc entire art He discussed the future of or music in America in tn his New York office at the headquarters of the American Federation of l Musicians He was surrounded by bya a regular regiment of clerical al help all tabulating the votes of American music music- lovers who are joining in what he terms a cultural fight voicing their resentment resent resent- ment merit at called so canned music and its I continuation at the expense of the genuine Kind Mr Weber despite the inroads and encroachments en encroachments encroachments en- en of mechanical music was optimistic about the future of the living variety The art of music is 15 dependent upon the he professional musicians h he declared If U f this Gold ld becomes narrowed down toc t. t oe CI c there can be no progress If a n halt Is it act called rt ht t now we will become merely a n nation Uon of lIsteners lIsteners' In Instead instead in- in stead of producers with no no outlet for musical musical c genius which will be forced to perish erish utter tine at birth We Wc are working Corking toward sterility in fa the field of music when we e continue to permit canned music to toi i c S r Ar i v r r rw C r tl rii A ri n M v Jr c w fi Y a P fyr vrr A Ab f b i h hr Jp r h p Q t r M h hr r i ir L i- i t Y r r 1 0 t w 1 Vt P i Ac i I k t Y S er p Jam YS Y'S i M r rte r j r wY E 4 W el rn e y N Y Joseph N. N Weber head of the musicians musi musi- clans crans' organization which has enrolled cn en rolled nearly persons in a S protest against machine music displacing displacing dis dis- r placing the living kind ind to r be foisted l upon us It If is necessary to tobe tobe tobe be farsighted regarding the matter and to realize that when machines supplant musicians musicians musicians mu mu- originality and Ind unique creative genius cenius arc bound in time to idle If u the services of musicians arc are unnecessary unnecessary unnecessary un un- necessary there will wili be no incentive for youth to take up musical careers and theart the theart theart art itself will become extinct Rec Recognizing these dart dark possibilities Jc we musicians and music-lovers music are arc waging a fight against the mechanized art ait of music which if permitted to flourish would mean the eventual passing of the prof professional musician But Judging from the two million American music-lovers music who are j Joining the defense movement the public will not tolerate this It has in short been fed up up Canned music is not real music Consider the definition of ot music The rhe science and art of the rhythmic combination of tones vocal or instrumental tal embracing melody and harmony A composition or mass of compositions conceived con cou- conceived or executed according to musical rule or spirit Any rhythmical succession or combination of sounds especially if pleasing to the ear melody Certainly the thc h harsh and strident machine music cannot be considered considered con con- melodious harmonious or particularly particularly particularly pleasing to the earIt earIt earIt ear It is quite apparent that the novelty of canned music Is wearing oft off and that people are yearning for live music again Living music is c certain to prevail preval for in my opinion it is unthinkable to believe that the public will everlastingly accept music th that t Is soulless An art that is all soul and temperament temperament temperament tempera tempera- ment cannot be be bep p photographed Subtle H American symphony e orchestras of the future would be threatened by the continued widespread use lIse of mechanical mus music c states Mr i Weber for fewer fetter men would pursue musical careers 9 pd i rV 1 iW i y yI S I p f s y r Y P J The organs in inmany inmany many motion motion- pi picture turc theatres have remained virtually unused since the advent of sound films and many of the artists artists' are without work Morning devotions in the home of Bach world world famous famous composer offer a sharp contrast to the morning radio programs of today played over oyer and over o again with no opportunity opportunity opportunity op op- op- op for the shading and changing of t moods as is the case with the living hying artist MUSIC Is a cultural agent and It ceases to b be music wh n it docs does not serve that purpose purpose- If we Yc had not made this this' move of protest and Joined in ina ina a n. wide nation de fight to replace canned music by the living variety those responsible responsible sible sable for the mechanized mc output might have continued to expand their policy 4 S which ultimately would a serious serious seri serl- ous degeneration tion of the gl glorious rl s- s sart art of music As it is machines have Dave v already replaced thousands of professional musicians musi musi- clans About third one-third o of those formerly playing In In hr theatres have been thrown out of employment Organists have hac been especially hard hit But dark as the past has been the future in my opinion looks bright I do donot donot donot not believe that America which is today the leader in the world of music will longer tolerate the complete mechanization tion of the art We have hi in this country the finest bands and orchestras in the world They are conceded to be the best by musical authorities of Europe Europ It is unthinkable that we should permit them to I die ol out mit t. t And for o what substitute Pieces which are run rim oft off on a machine unvarying g monotonous This Is not creative creative creative cre cre- work work fresh with originality and genius constantly putting forth the new and the unusual J but f de deadly a d I y repetition Something g ground r 0 11 n d dout out millions of times 1 e r rY over with no subtle tIc Y f Shadings or variety 4 r b r cf Interpretation A r Y Some of our lead- lead P i n g orchestras I t n nf n- n f e P elude dude the New York York P philharmonic h 11 h a the r Philadelphia S Sym Sym- y m- m r A Af f h t N r phony hen Y and tho those e of r 2 arr Cincinnati Chicago St. St Louis Louts Minneapolis apo R lis Jis S San a n n. Francisco et and Los Angeles to mention but a l few rew P The They y are unsurpassed unsurpassed passed In the entire 4 world But nut where is r- r r young Soung talent going t te tc to ii i t be pe e recruited and de developed de- de i velo eloped 1 led to replace z the die present members rs r S of these s splendid I Il muS musical mu mu- l sisal bodies If musicians musicians mut mu mu- t w are replaced i by machines there t will be no Incentive A for lor youth to engage communication between the tho artist and the audience will always remain necesSary necessary for the true enjoyment of ot music You Youcan Youcan Youcan can your photograph but it will not be you It will wUl be a hollow likeness of you ou merely as you appeared during the ver very instant the photograph was taken it will not convey to me your variable moods personality or character character- So it is with mechanical music There is a static quality about it One record is multiplied many thousands thousands' of 01 times and andr r in musical careers careers' and consequently no reserve supply of of talent for the of future s symphony symphony sym sym- m phony orchestras Sur Surely ly America will not place itself Inthe in inthe inthe the position o of being entirely dependent upon f foreign talent for the personnel of Its ls orchestras It is encouraging to kno know that people are tiring of of much of the trash heard over the radio and elsewhere But they will be be still sUll more b bored red by it In the future 1 If something drastic is not done about the theme me mechanization of ot the musical art for it tW eu J J. f-J. 1 will be impossible to obtain enough good musicians even en even to to play over the radio The salaries paid theatre musicians musician have been cut nearly a year year although it must be remembered that patrons of theatres have h had d to pay the same money for tickets th that t they I did when there were good orchestras in the playhouses But from all over the country we are dally daily receiving proof that that the pub public c is tired of soulless music The newspaper in Dallas Tex recently took a vote ot on on the subject and more than 80 80 pe per cent of ol the votes showed that audiences craved real music again cc PEOPLE EOPLE in th the past looking at motion pictures enjoyed having their im imaginations im- im play a a. a part Each patron Interpreted Interpreted Interpreted In- In the picture in a different way supplying his own Imagined dialogue and comments But now people are forced to to sit back and and have the scenes interpreted for them There Is also a certain harshness harshness harshness harsh harsh- ness ness connected with sound pictures which has not been eradicated This does not add add to the serenity of an evenings evening's en en- But apart from the damage already done if allowed to co continue continue con con- w will ll cheapen the art of composing In fact it has pas already cheapened it its Music composed for the pictures is la not composed In the leisurely painstaking style that living m music ic is Victor Vicor Herbert Herber never composed more than thirty operettas operettas operettas oper oper- ettas in his entire lifetime me All the musicians musicians musicians musi musi- of the world en masse could not Inot compose more than thirty scores scores of any lasting value Machines surfeit us with quickly concocted con con concocted trash when we yearn for soul soul- satisfying original and Inspired music More deadening still is the abuse of the theme song It is worked to death It It- Itis is tediousness personified The lightning lightning- like s switches itches from cheap Jazz to immortal creations is painful to the sensitive Car ear of ot ofay ota ofa a ay music Most of ot the scores of canned music are nothing but medleys medley's which tako take a atheme theine theme from the creation of this an and in an effort eUort to conc concoct ct an original song Of all the o original scores in canned music played o on synchronized machines those thosa that ha have e musical value could be counted on five fingers D DESPITE p ESPITE the loud oud protests of many music-lovers music throughout the Nation against canned music there are good reas reasons rea rea- s sons sans ns to hope that the situation will wUl work itself out outi much In the same manner that the picture motion-picture situation did some years ea s 's ago At that time it may be re re remembered devotees of the stage predicted that the widespread acceptance of off the movies would ruin the legitimate stage Some Sime went so far as to declare that within a few years all aU the playhouses playhouse would be shut down for want of patron patron- age It is true of course that motion pictures threw countless small companies of oC traveling players out of ot business but on the other hand that which was best bestIn bestin bestin in the living drama has survived and flourishes despite the even en more Nore s serious competition of the talking films Thus after the present resent difficult period of ot ad adjustment adjustment ad- ad It is hoped that mechanical and living music may both be relegated to to their proper spheres spheres arid in the cultural purpose of keeping America s music Sound pictures are in th their lr Infancy and many of their effects have been overdone over aver done witness done witness the first talkies when the audience heard a smack each time the lovers kissed Such faults were speedily done away with and It is not too much to hope that the thc abuses of ot canned music musi with films will also alo be corrected The finest picture theatres have not abandoned aban Boned theft ther symphony n ncr ne their organs and nd it is highly probable th- th that t many of the which at present pros pros- ent have dispensed with living Jiving musicians ns will recall them In the near future CO tu by Public 1 |