age Company); "The
Making of a Housewife," by I. G. Curtis (Stokes); "A Handbook of
Hospitality for Town and Country," by Florence Howe Hall (The Page
Company).

CHAPTER VII

A STUDY OF SONGS

A charming study, not only for a musical club but also for any other, is
that of songs. The field is practically limitless, but by careful
selection of a program which covers only a part much may be learned and
enjoyed. It is essential that the life and times of each composer should
be studied, and some of his songs sung. Later on, various periods, or
certain themes, may be illustrated by the songs of different composers.
Perhaps for some of these records on a good phonograph may be used.

To introduce the subject have a paper on folk songs, which in every
nation precede what are known as art songs. Many of these folk songs
have come down from very early times, either just as they were or woven
into art songs. Follow this with a second paper on the minnesingers and
troubadours and their songs. A third paper may speak of an interesting
theme which may be called the local color of songs. The Laplander has
his reindeer songs; the Alpine peasant, his songs of the mountains, with
the yodel; the Russian has songs of the steppes; the negro, his
plantation melodies; the sailor, his chanty; the soldier, his songs of
battle and prison. Hunting songs, love songs, funeral dirges, songs of
nature, of childhood, of home, of country, all have a literature of
their own.

One meeting may take up the subject of the first art songs--which
originated about the time of the first operas and were part of them.

I--THE GREAT GERMANS

The _lied_, or lyric song, was practically invented in Germany, and by
Schubert, the great master of lyric song, though Handel, Haydn, Gluck,
Mozart, and Beethoven all wrote arias, or songs, of great beauty and
importance. Illustrate by giving one or more songs from each.

The life of Schubert and his genius should have at least one meeting
devoted to them. Read the chapter in Finck upon him. Notice what he
accomplished in his thirty-one years. Beethoven said of him: "Truly
Schubert has the divine spark." His hundreds of songs are sweet and
tender, yet strong and noble. Sing "The Erl-King," written when he was
only eighteen, "Hark, Hark, the Lark"; "Death and the Maiden"; "Who is
Sylvia?" and "Margaret at the Spinning Wheel."

Mendelssohn's songs, long admired, are now considered rather mediocre
with th