’ SESSION 1904-5. 
—— ——_- 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20TH, 1904. 
Ghe Functions of Music. 
By THE PRESIDENT: 
Mew HENRY DAVEY: 
M® DAVEY began with an allusion to the fact that the Society 
was now entering upon its second half- century, and further 
_ remarked that the occasion was noteworthy as a change in the 
government of the Society had been made, and the Scientific 
Secretary (a post so long and ably filled by Mr. E. Alloway 
Pankhurst) had been replaced by a Secretarial Committee, 
consisting of Messrs. Caush, Harrison, and Hora. As it had 
fallen to himself, not deeply versed in any branch of natural 
history or abstract philosophy, to begin this exceptionally 
important session, he had chosen the subject with which he was 
best acquainted, and had decided to give an address on the 
_ Functions of Music. This he endeavoured to bring under the 
domain of science, by a suitable treatment ; but confessed himself 
not too well satisfied with the result of his endeavours. 
Herbert Spencer had written an essay on “ The Origin and 
Function of Music,” and, wishing to avoid all comparison with him, 
Mr. Davey viewed the subject from the standpoint of a practical 
musician, and dealt with the results which had been actually 
achieved rather than with speculations upon the abstract side of 
the subject. Herbert Spencer’s essay was written nearly fifty 
years ago, and he was unacquainted with the latest developments 
even of that time. Consequently his essay, as regards materials, 
Teads quite antiquated ; but his conclusion that the ultimate 
function of music will be to express ideas too subtle to be spoken 
—that we shall, as it were, converse by music instead of words 
when words fail us,—went into the future, and probably the very 
istant future. Mr. Davey took an altogether different course, 
warning his audience that he presupposed a certain knowledge of 
musical works and terms, just as a lecturer on science presupposes 
, similar knowledge. 


















