something about the history of the principal arts. Who designed St. Peter’s, who painted the _Descent from the Cross_, who wrote _The Faerie Queen_ and who composed the _Ninth Symphony_. These are things one ought to know. The reasons why one ought to know them are seldom made clear. But just at this time, when the word “appreciation” is so active in the world’s conversation, there should be little difficulty in separating from the mass of unformed comment at least one reason for acquaintance with the history of music. No one can “appreciate” an art work without knowing its period, the state of the art in that period, the ideals and purposes of composers, the capacity of their public and the particular gifts and aims of the writer of the work under consideration. It is extremely difficult for any person to begin the study of “appreciation” after he is old enough to have acquired a stock of prejudices and burdened his mind with a heavy load of misconceptions. It is better to absorb good art, music or other, in the early years and to grow up with it than to try at 18 or 20 to put away childish things and understand Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion.” Miss Bauer and Miss Peyser have written a history of music for young people. It is not for the kindergarten class and yet it is not out of the reach of mere children. It is not for the seniors in a university and yet they might profit by examining it. The authors have surveyed the entire field. They have touched ancient music and the music of nations not usually considered in some more pretentious histories. They have apparently tried to give a bird’s-eye view of the art as practiced by all the civilized and some of the uncivilized races of the earth. With this in mind they have shown how the supreme art forms and the greatest art works developed among the western European peoples, who, it is interesting to note, produced also the metaphysical and philosophical bases of the world’s scientific thought, the mightiest inventions, and with all regard for Buddhistic poetry and speculation, the highest achievements in literature. It seems to me that they have made a history of music singularly well adapted to young minds. They do not treat their readers as if they were infants—which might offend them—nor as college professors, which would certainly bore them. The book will undoubtedly have a large audience, for teachers of young music students, of whom there are legions, will surely exclaim: “This is just what we have needed.” W. J. HENDERSON. CONTENTS PAGE THE AUTHORS’ GREETINGS vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix INTRODUCTION, BY W. J. HENDERSON xi BABYHOOD OF MUSIC CHAPTER I.— MUSIC IS BORN—HOW, WHEN AND WHERE 3 II.— THE SAVAGE MAKES HIS MUSIC 8 III.— THE ANCIENT NATIONS MADE THEIR MUSIC—EGYPTIAN, ASSYRIAN, AND HEBREW 20 IV.— THE GREEKS LIVED THEIR MUSIC—THE ROMANS USED GREEK PATTERNS 31 V.— THE ORIENTALS MAKE THEIR MUSIC—CHINESE, JAPANESE, SIAMESE, BURMESE, AND JAVANESE 46 VI.— THE ARAB SPREADS CULTURE—THE GODS GIVE MUSIC TO THE HINDUS 55 CHILDHOOD OF MUSIC VII.— WHAT CHURCH MUSIC IMPORTED FROM GREECE 67 VIII.— TROUBADOURS AND MINNESINGERS BROUGHT MUSIC TO KINGS AND PEOPLE 87 IX.— THE PEOPLE DANCE AND SING—FOLK MUSIC 107 X.— NATIONAL PORTRAITS IN FOLK MUSIC 128 MUSIC BECOMES A YOUTH XI.— MAKERS OF MOTETS AND MADRIGALS—RISE OF SCHOOLS, 15TH AND 16TH CENTURIES 146 XII.— MUSIC GETS A REPRIMAND—REFORMATION AND REBIRTH OF LEARNING—HOW THE REFORMS CAME TO BE 162 XIII.— BIRTH OF ORATORIO AND OPERA—MONTEVERDE AND HEART MUSIC 171 XIV.— MUSICKE IN MERRIE...