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T H 1i MAKOON TIGER
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best fitted, there would be a marked change in the status
of affairs, socially, economically and commercially.
If after all we find that we lack ability, let us substi
tute other qualities, such as hard work, economy, faithful
ness, thoroughness and honesty. Goethe believed not so
much in brilliant talent as in sterling worth.
“If thou art anything keep still.
In patience all will work out well;
For you may place him ivhen you will.
The real man will always tell.”
C. E. Boyer
MUSIC AN ART AND A LANGUAGE
Floyd W. Sullivan. ’30
N APPROACHING the study of any subject we
may fairly expect that the subject be defined.
But it has been said that every definition is a
misfortune. Music-lovers, however, are spared
this misfortune, for music cannot be defined. We know
the factors which constitute music, rhythm and sound,
and can trace the development of methods of presentation
and style by means of this two-fold material; but to de
fine in the usual sense of the term definition, what music
really is, will be forever impossible. Rhythm is the fun
damental fact in the universe and in all life, both physical
and human. Everything in the heavens above and in the
earth beneath is in ceaseless motion and change; nothing
remains the same for two consecutive seconds. Even the
component parts of material—such as stove and wood,
which we ordinarily speak of as concrete and stationary—
are whirling about with ceaseless energy and often in
perfect rythm. If this be so, does not this factor alone
of this two-fold material make music inseparably con
nected with life itself? As for the other factor, sound
is one of the most elemental and mysterious of all phy
sical phenomena When the air is set in motion by the
vibration of certain bodies of wood, metal and other
material, we know that sound waves, striking upon the
tympanum of the ear, penetrate to the brain and imagin
ation. The modern radio, and wireless telegraphy are
all based upon the hypothesis of sound waves. So much
then for the discussion of the constituents of music.
Briefly, we shall discuss music as an art and a lan
guage between us musicians. Yes, I use the term “us
musicians” for all human beings are ipso facto musicians,
being born with a musical instrument that is used con
stantly—the voice. Music is an art, the same as archi
tecture, sculpture and painting. In architecture we see
the harmonious combination of the parabola, the hy
perbola, the circle and other properties in the construct
ion of a building beautiful to behold. It is tangible,
we walk through it, admire it, touch it if we will. In
sculpture, we see human nature reproduced skillfully
by hands guided by keen sense of the properties of nature.
It is tangible, we touch it if we will. It appeals to our
Aesthetic instinct. In painting there is the attempt again
to reproduce the properties of nature in bringing her
true shades of color and lines of symmetry. It is also
tangible. But music differs from the other arts in that
it is intangible. It speaks to our feelings and imagination
as it were by suggestion; reaching for this very reason,
depths of our being, quite beyond the power of mere
words. It appeals to our emotions and can ever pene
trate to our very souls. Emotion is as indispensable to mu
sic as love to religion. Music, in fact, is a presentation
of emotional experiences, fashioned and controlled by
an overruling intellectual power. Is it not the art of arts?
Has it ever occurred to you that music is a language
the same as any other language? Its methods of struc
ture and of presentation have been worked out through
centuries of free experimentation by some of the best
minds of the world and thus any great musical com
position is an intellectual achievement of high rank.
There is an orderly structure and also definite proce
dures followed in order to bring out the message of the
composer. There are motives, phrases, sentences which
express complete thoughts the same as we express a com
plete thought in talking English. Thus the motive intro
duces to you the main thought and you have a succes
sion of sentences beautifully phrased in carrying out the
expression of the message which is presented. Do we
not follow the same procedure more or less in the de
livery of any message that we may wish? If this be so,
can there be a clear understanding of music without the
study of its grammar and composition? In most of the
languages that I know you have to get a comprehen
sive knowledge of its grammar before a mastery of the
language is attained. It is perhaps more true with mu
sic than any other language.
In conclusion, may I introduce to you the study of
the language of music. To the student of applied music
who is interested in the attainment of all that is beauti
ful in music, his goal is made nearer. To the jazz-player,
who perhaps is not interested beyond “Crazy Rythm,”
“Sweet Sue,” and a good performance of these to in
crease his standing financially, it means an increased
repertoire of an infinite number of new “breaks” that
will be valuable to him. To the singer it means a better
appreciation, a thorough knowledge, and an increased
capacity in performance of his songs.
WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE MOREHOUSE SPIRIT?
HEN ONE is asked to contribute an article to
a student publication the question invariably
arises as to just what the public at large will
he most interested in. After thinking of this,
I’ve decided to contribute an article about something all
Morehouse men have known—namely that indomitable
Morehouse Spirit.
Being one of the older Morehouse students this spirit
has become so much a part of me that I feel that once
having been exposed to it, it will always remain in one’s
very being and for this reason I am endeavoring to give
you a retrospective survey of this wonderful spirit.
Seven years ago, as a mere lad in short trousers, I
entered Morehouse, the school of my choice. When I
came here our school was a winner in everything; in
every field we entered, we won, but during my stay here
things have changed. Morehouse is not the Morehouse
of old, we have started or we have been in a period when
it seemed as if everybody was going to twist the Tiger’s
tail.
The why of this is quite obvious. Where is the spirit
that used to send men into the battle for Morehouse, is
it dead? This is the question all loyal Morehouse men
should ask themselves. When we were winning every
thing, we did not have any better teams than the rest of
the schools, but we had an unconquerable spirit that sent
our teams many times against teams superior to them
in the art of playing, but the old spirit of fight, kept
victory always with us.
Now all we can do is sit down on the corner and
around in our rooms and criticize those that are trying