MORE MUSIC AT HARVARD.

THE fact that a concert may be given by the Glee Club in Sanders Theatre after the recess calls for a few more remarks on a subject that has lately received some attention in the College papers, - music at Harvard.

The writers of the articles alluded to confine themselves almost entirely to complaints about the music here. One writer gave as his reason for the lack of good music among us, the fact that we were shamefully lacking in energy, not merely in musical matters, but in everything that requires any effort whatever. It is the purpose of this article to ask - in no spirit of fault-finding, however - whether we must not consider the class of songs sung by the Glee Club in some degree accountable for the failure of that Club to give general satisfaction.

Many opinions are expressed about this lack of success, and a quite prevalent one is that the Glee Club in its attempt to sing some of the more difficult glees is rather too ambitious. The individual talent of the Club is not more than fair; the united efforts often seem strained and affected. To sing the songs of the Apollo or Boylston Club is indeed a laudable ambition, but to expect in so doing to meet entire success is presumptuous.

It is not a desire to discourage the Glee Club that prompts this article, - far from it; but may it not be true that the Club undertakes to render music that is too difficult for it, or, at least, music that would require constant rehearsing to sing with proper effect? Any one would prefer an easy song correctly rendered, to a difficult glee spoiled by inability or want of practice.

Regarding it also from an artistic point of view, - and this should not be totally neglected, - is it not better to do a little well rather than to do much poorly?

We come now to the consideration of an oftrecurring question, Does the Glee Club, as an exponent of music at college, sing the songs that its friends outside like best to hear? Even granting that the kind of music the Club now attempts is not too difficult, ought it not to confine itself exclusively to real college songs, - songs that breathe in every note the spirit of our life at Harvard, with all its picturesque manners and quaint customs? I think that we can all see the justice of this question. If our friends come to hear a college glee club sing, can we blame them if they prefer to hear such songs as "Nancy Lee," "Sally am de Gal for me," and "Jingle Bells," to "Two Roses," "Three Chafers," and the various "Serenades" and "Slumber Songs" to which the Glee Club is addicted?

If the proposed concert at Sanders Theatre is to be a success, let the Glee Club, instead of expending its energy in practising music that is not suited to it, give its time and attention to learning a few good hearty songs. If this is done, we can promise the Club an enthusiastic reception and much future success.

W.