FOOTNOTES:
[40] Scientific American of 1913.
APPENDIX D.
Notes on Tabulation.
The foregoing tabulation may be considered fairly representative, because the relative resources of each country, and the relative cost of sustaining musical institutions tend to equalize the sum of their actual benefits to the people. Bavarian and Austrian institutions charge small rates for instruction to native talent, but much larger sums to strangers. France and Belgium charge merely entrance fees to natives, but strangers pay a comfortable sum, and must pass a difficult examination. The letter from the celebrated violinist and teacher, Ovid Musin, given in Appendix E, shows that there are two classes of students, native students who pay a very small fee, and foreign paying students. The letter was a reply to our inquiry as to tuition fees charged by French and Belgian musical conservatories under governmental control. Italy also charges a small yearly sum for instruction of natives, but all of her institutions teach exceptional talent free of charge, if inability to pay on the part of the applicant be proved.
Italy’s distribution of her culture in Milan, Naples, Palermo, Parma, Florence and Rome, presents an area most creditable to her governmental care of Music. Considering Italy’s position in the commercial world, her figures represent a high proportion of attention to musical needs. This we would naturally expect of that grand old Mediterranean race, which has never failed in all of its wondrous history, to uphold its loftiest ideals despite its calamities. Her musical genius has always found national protection. Italy has thus shown her wisdom.
The density of France’s population brings down her per capita expenditure.
The difference in the charges to native students may depend upon the varying cost of support in different countries. For instance in Vienna, $40.00 per year is one charge, while at Brussells the charge to natives is but $1.00 per year.
Even were free tuition not given, the governmental institutions charging for instruction would still be great aids to the advancement of musical culture in their respective states, as the small sums charged are within the reach of those who can have their days free for study. How far would $40.00 go in musical education in the United States? In America, vocal and piano teachers charge from $2 to $5 per lesson, to maintain their position among so-called first class teachers. Car fares, Music, instruments, clothes, tickets for concerts, operas, etc., would exhaust $40.00 in a month; and while an ambitious brick-layer could easily pay $40.00 per year, for his child’s musical education in a governmentally supported college, $40.00 per month would represent the full wages of two of his girls, working all day long in a department store. “Free Schools of Music” would not be nearly so successful as “National Schools of Music,” because our people do not like anything which tends to divide those who can pay, from those who cannot. The wise among our well-to-do American parents now send their children to our public schools, in preference to private academies, knowing well the superior advantages thus gained. When it becomes known that National Schools of Music are on a par with State universities, offering the world’s best instruction and the very best advantages, then graduation from such institutions will be a matter of pride to anyone, rich or poor.
The Question of Fees.
As we have said, the small sums required as entrance or tuition fees by some of the musical institutions under governmental support, do not detract from the value of such institutions; but it would scarcely be just to place all of the conservatories so conditioned, upon a par of public spiritedness with those which take no fees whatsoever for tuition of native pupils, unless some superiority of educational advantages in the former tend to equalize their benefits. It is impracticable to judge of the merits of each institution, and such a critical examination is not the purpose of this work; but mention of the systems employed by a few countries showing special care of national musical culture, may not be out of place here. Belgium has produced much of the world’s genius, giving us from her conservatory at Liege alone, such splendid artists as Martin Marsick, Ovid Musin, Ysaye, Cesar Thomson and Remy. Liege charges no fees to native talent. In his reply[41] to our request for information concerning fees in the French, Belgian and Holland conservatories, Ovid Musin attributes the marked artistic results of the Belgium conservatories to the fact that the remuneration of the professors is such as to enable them to devote their entire time to their conservatory pupils; foreigners pay 200 francs a year, but native students receive free tuition.
In response to a similar request concerning fees in Italian governmental schools of Music, Signor Gatti-Casazza, director of the Metropolitan Opera House of New York, replied that there were both free and paying pupils.
The question of fees in all government schools of Music, would involve an exhaustive research into the ideals behind the founding of each such school, and into the resources upon which their maintenance depends. Undoubtedly, the highest ideal in such undertakings is that which animates the Belgian system, and insures its wonderful success. A close study of Belgium’s management of her conservatories would be surely illuminating and inspiring to our own country. This little country is to be congratulated, as the holder of the musical laurels of both the past and the present in national support of native talent. Her efforts are signs of the live musical genius of Belgium, and show great state care of musical culture. Belgium has always been a leader in musical culture, and the world owes her a debt of gratitude for her products of genius, only to be fully appreciated when the present abnormal stage shall have passed, and the saner musical school be once more established.
America owes much of her rarest pleasure to the varied genius presented in Russian Music. May the lesson of Russia’s governmental care for her subjects’ need of Music not be lost, in the prosperity of our too commercialized United States of America.
Were it not for the excellent total of the Bavarian expenditures for public education in Music, Germany as a whole would present a very poor figure, for Saxony stands low, and the Prussian statistics were “unavailable.”[42] Saxony, with the wonderful musical output, which so delights the musical world is evidently in the hands of private business, in which governmental protection and state cultivation of Saxon talent as yet play but a small role. This is surprising, considering the examples around Saxony, but her resources and history must be taken into account in the judgment of her generosity.
Norway’s population is scarcely equal in number to that of one of our medium sized American cities; hence her figures represent a true love and care for Music, and the products of her musical genius fully justify the support accorded. She holds her own in musical protection.
Denmark has enriched our American life with the strong free blood of the North, and her Music, with its sweet sadness, has left its impress upon American musical culture.
The Music-loving, and Music-needing Austrians will find the reason of their care of national rhythm in the sorrows of their history, for no other countries have suffered from the double tyranny of war and religion as have Austria and Hungary, whose emotions have been the harp upon which other powers have played continuously. Austria’s position has not seemed sufficiently stable in history to include it as a leading power separate from German influence, and though it is so closely allied to Italy in temperament, its language and customs are German and its recent history is closely analogous to that of Germany. Yet Austria’s government is devoted to the musical interests of its gifted subjects. This musical race has produced some of the noblest talent, for her past sorrows and responsive temperament needed Music in a marked degree. Austria, standing so high among the large states in musical culture, is to be congratulated for her brilliant example. Austria’s figures as they stand, and without taking into consideration the size of her population, would have placed her in the lead.
Swedish musical talent had taught us to expect much from Sweden, and we are justified in this faith. The showing made by Sweden in a graph of State care of musical culture, will find its cause likewise in its history, for Sweden’s emotions have not been left to harden for lack of use, and her acute sufferings have been manifested in a fineness of musical talent, and in a love for the noble in Music, equal to the progressiveness of her national mind. In comparative peace for 90 years, soothed by her “rhythm-giving” Music, who shall determine the result of that noble tranquillity, which has been aided by her parental care of the musical needs of her people? Sweden sets a splendid example for the United States, since despite a comparative lack of wealth, cold climate and seeming cheerlessness of environment, she nevertheless nourishes the lovely flower of national Music. This shows a progressiveness and care doubly commendable, when one considers in addition to the above mentioned fact, the smallness of both her population and her resources as compared with other countries.
The work of the Conservatory of Quito, Republic of Equador, deserves high praise for the completeness of its outfit and evident success. It is refreshing indeed to feel that Music holds so large a share of public attention in this brave little Republic of the south. The study of her musical statistics in Appendix C suggests very strongly that the Latin races may have found in their Music, an antidote for the chilling commercialism of modern civilization.
Holland, from whom we expected little in governmental support of Music, presents a very good standing. We Americans, who are proud that Dutch blood flows in our veins, could not do better than to take this small nation as an example in national duty. She shows a praise-worthy care for national musical culture. It is with pride in the showing made by this distinguished little state that we call attention to her national culture of music.
Hungary deserves high praise for the care of her musical talent as represented in her statistics. Hungarian composition has ever possessed a special charm for Americans. Much may be expected of a nation which so cares for the musical need of its humblest members as to support a symphony orchestra for the purpose of giving concerts for young workmen in provincial towns, and for the propagation of artistic music and culture.