The Evolution of Music. 401 



ABSTRACT OF THE DISCUSSION. 



MB. LAWRENCE E. STERNER: 



To music can not be attributed exclusively either a sensuous or a 

 spiritual origin. Sensuous and spiritual music are distinct and have 

 separate histories. Sensuous music has its embryo and development 

 in the seed-sensuous ; spiritual music in the seed-spiritual. 



The development of instrumental music has been divided into the 

 drum stage (which includes all percussion instruments), the pipe stage 

 (which includes all wind instruments), and the lyre stage (which in- 

 cludes all string instruments). These correspond to the theological, 

 metaphysical, and positive stages of the Comtist, the stone, bronze, 

 and iron ages of the archaeologist. The order of development has 

 never varied. The drum is the only musical instrument found alone. 

 Wherever the pipe is in use there also is the drum ; wherever string 

 instruments are found there also will be found wind and percussion 

 instruments. 



That Sebastian Bach (whose works have been termed " the musi- 

 cian's Bible ") was the founder of the " Well-tempered Clavichord," 

 which is our present system of scales (since proved, so far as we may 

 know, to be scientifically correct), is a fact the weight of which should 

 be fully impressed on all minds, as before his time no such scale was 

 known or used, except in a very unpractical manner, and in conse- 

 quence all music was limited melodically and harmonically. 



Everything that was possible to the ancients was accomplished by 

 them. Their musical perception was not so much wanting as the ma- 

 terial (harmonic scale) with which to work. 



Something of the future of music may be known by retrospection. 

 Percussion and wind instruments, mainly used but two centuries past, 

 have gradually given place to the delicate strings, and it is probable 

 that in their more severe and boisterous forms they will disappear en- 

 tirely and instruments of even greater delicacy than the violin come 

 into use. As the human heart and understanding mount to greater 

 sensitiveness and culture, the soul seeks, through the arts, to express 

 itself with greater delicacy and refinement. 



MR. AUGUST WALTHER, JR.: 



I doubt whether there is any other city in the world where so much 

 money is spent on musical instruction as in New York. Elevating as 



