The Realm of Music; A Series of Musical Essays, Chiefly Historical and Educational (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LAW AND MUSIC. The connection between these two subjects is much more intimate than the general reader may imagine; for, from times which may almost be called prehistoric, the art of music has called forth statutes and strange legal enactments. The earliest of these are to be sought for in Egypt, where musicians were held in very slight esteem, and were obliged by law to dwell in certain quarters of each city, not unlike the Ghettos in which the mediaeval rulers imprisoned the Jews. The ancient Egyptian musician was also obliged to train his children in the art; and the caste was thus kept distinct, and transmitted from father to son for centuries. China, in the earliest times, affords striking examples of legislation regarding the art of music. It must be borne in mind that the use of music in China, four thousand years ago, was a very moral and commendable one. Useful precepts, valuable instructions in science, art, agriculture, etc., and historic legends, were all preserved or imparted by means of song.The rules governing the making of musical instruments ( founded on correct acoustical principles ) were also laid down by law. When, therefore, in the early pnrt of the Christian era, the usurping Tschin dynasty ( from which China, or more properly Tschina, takes its name ) came into power, they directed their greatest energy against the art of music, which kept alive in the Chinese patriotism, heroism, and devotion to the dynasty which had ruled their forefathers. The old songs were abolished by law, a new musical system was established, and all the old instruments were called in, to be remodelled according to it. To retain or conceal any of the old instruments or musical manuscripts was punished by death; yet many a Chinese musician braved this doom by burying his tr...