er own words. Taken as a whole, the people of this country are
somewhat crude and uneducated in their ideas of music. They certainly
love music; they like music even better than the Europeans, but they do
not exactly know what they want. If, when an orchestra or an artist is
visiting a Western town, you ask a man if he is going to the concert, he
will often say, "No, I have seen him once." Hearing the music given by
a splendid orchestra does not seem to be thought of any consequence.
Having "seen" the orchestra, there is no further interest in it. On the
other hand, with all their want of education, the people of this country
learn about music faster than any people she ever saw. They are greatly
interested in music, are willing to admit their ignorance concerning it,
are exceedingly eager to learn and anxious that their children should,
at least, study the rudiments, that they may enjoy and understand it.
They are ready and able to pay more for music than any nation in Europe.
If they think they are really to hear something that pleases them, they
will pack the hall whatever the price. The music that pleases them is
not always the best, for the simple reason they do not know what is
best. As fast as they learn better, they drop whatever is before them
and at once take up something else. The sudden disappearance of negro
minstrel music is an evidence of this. The people outgrew it, and it
passed away, as it were, in a night.

In instrumental music there has been a steady advance from the merely
showy and technical to the purely classical. Ten years since they would
crowd the hall to hear the "Carnival." Had Madam Urso presented the
Beethoven Spohr, or the Mendelssohn Concertos, the people would not have
listened in patience through a single performance. If they heard it at
all, it would be under a sort of silent protest, and the next time the
piece was offered there would be nobody there. These remarks apply to
the country generally. In some of the older cities classical music of a
high order would have found a certain proportion of listeners. From year
to year, all this has changed. By introducing into the lightest and most
popular programmes some short selection from the great masters of violin
music, Madam Urso has gradually taught her audiences what they should
admire, and, by persistent and gentle urging, she has led them to a
knowledge of the best and highest in art. In this Madam Urso is not
alone. All true artist