Lay sermon on Vivaldi

Media

Part of The American Chamber of Commerce Journal

Title: Lay sermon on Vivaldi
Identifier: Editorial
Language: English
Source: The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume XXVII (Issue No. 7) July 1951
Year: 1951
Rights
Fulltext: Fortunately, this quality, too, is the mark of true leadership even in a democracy. The following is what Merriam wrote about the quality in politicians, and al though he was thinking principally of the political party leader, what he said applies with equal force to leadership among the nations, politically and militarily: “The group leader ordinarily possesses an unusually high degree of courage. This is contrary to the common conception that politicians are timid and even cowardly in conduct. It is often their raison d'etre to be conciliatory and compromising, since the knots they seek to un ravel are not so easy to loose. But a closer view of the lives of leaders shows that from time to time they must throw down the gage of battle and risk their all in uncertain combat. Just as a financier does not become rich by loaning money on perfect security at a low rate of in terest, so the political leader can never enjoy security and quiet, except at the price of inferior position, compensation, and authority. Within and without the party and within and without the state, there are hostile groups seeking to destroy him; and, while conciliation and patience may avail on many occasions, there are times when these fail, and the appeal to arms, politically speaking, is the only alternative. Zn fact, the reputation for willingness to do battle may itself save many a struggle." A great power such as the United States need not and should not wait until it has its army divisions ready be fore, if it becomes necessary, flatly .asserting itself. Like wise, the ambassador of a great power does not need naked force to back him up. Authority is finally based on the power to coerce, but that power need not always be im mediately and physically present. Even from a purely military point of view, no nation, least of all a democratic nation, could be rated as “ready” for war, no matter after how much preparation. Going to war is a matter of circumstance rather than readiness. In fact, beyond a certain point, the “readier” a nation is today, the more it is handicapped because of the rapid rate of obsolescence of modern war-equipment. It is the potential strength and the psychological readiness of the nation, the national spirit and courage,— and also the spirit, dignity, and courage of the national leaders and the nation’s representatives abroad which count. We do not argue for war, now or ever. We do say that war is made only the more inescapable if the national prestige is allowed to suffer through too great an emphasis on an abhorrence of war and through over-conciliatory policies. In small, the truth of the foregoing is demonstrated by every person in a position of authority,—foremen' and bosses, policemen, teachers, judges, army officers; generally they carry only tokens of their power. They represent institutional power, as a government represents the power of the nation. The biggest and strongest oaf, if it is suspected he won’t fight, becomes the butt of the whole school, and his ears are tweaked and his shirt is pulled out by every small boy who feels in the humor. Surely we have reached a stage of deterioration in world order, as we have reached a point in world diplo macy, where America should cease its harpings on its inveterate good intentions, its inerasable Utopian hopes, its ineluctable love of peace, its insuperable hatred of war. America should also, and especially,’ end the folly of ad vertising to the world its alleged unreadiness for war, a folly of which not only our civilian but our military leaders are guilty. And these men should stop telling our own people how terrible a war would be for us and how much we would suffer. The Romans spoke differently. They cried, Vae victis! Woe to the vanquished! And they never conceived of themselves as such. Perhaps America would be wiser if it stopped trying to be so good and instead cultivated an air of dangerous ness, of poised readiness for swift and extreme action,—as is, in fact, the case. Certainly America can be incomparably the most intimidating foe in the history of the world. *t*he coiled rattle-snake, with the motto “Don’t tread A on me”, was the warning device of one of America’s colonial flags. The .American emblem is that outstandingly regal symbol, the eagle,—not a dove, and while, as in the Great Seal, it holds an olive-branch in one of its talons, it grasps a bundle of arrows in the other. In its beak is a scroll in scribed with the motto, E pluribus unum,—One composed of many. Over the head of the eagle is a “glory” of clouds and stars. On the reverse side of the seal are the words, Novus ordo seclorum,—a new civil order, and Annuit Coeptis,—He (God) has smiled on our undertaking, a phrase taken from the Aeneid of Virgil, poet of the Augus tan era. That is the seal which, in outline, was designed by a committee of the Continental Congress composed of Benja min Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, and it gives us a very clear idea of the founding fathers’ con ception of America (population then under 3,000,000) of the greatness and power and dignity they aimed at for the nation. They did not expatiate on America’s “weakness” and “unreadiness for war,” for all the world, to hear,—our friends with alarm, our enemies in gloating. A Catholic priest who, still young, has already won some renown as a musician and composer, is directed by his ecclesiastical superiors to take charge Lay Sermon of a foundling home for girls. Perhaps on Vivaldi he is not ambitious in a worldly sense and is indifferent to honors and fame; yet will he not think that he should have been sent to some place where he could make better use of his God-given talents? Why was he not assigned to some great Cathe dral, where he could have served as organist or choir master, and composed, as was his hope, most beautiful music to the glory of God? Will he not say to himself, Here I shall be cut off from all that has meant so much to me. I bow my head and obey. It must be God’s will that I assume this lowly charge. God helping me, I shall do what I can to bring these fa therless and motherless children up as good Christians; perhaps I shall be able to make their lives a little happier than they have been. But, oh, what of my music, the true language of my soul, in which I fain would have adored God with all my spirit! Did the young priest speak thus in his heart? Did he thus grieve and despairingly lay aside his talents, sadly leaving his hymns and songs unsung? Did he in the end pass away, a frustrated, possibly an embittered, old cleric who should have been an artist, and whom the world never heard of? We do not know what the young priest said in his heart when he first entered the dismal portal of that orphan age, but we do know that he did not bury his talents there and that he did not become a frustrated, embittered old man whom the world never heard of. Instead, while remaining a man of God, he became the foremost violinist and composer of his time, and the orchestra and choral group of the orphanage, under his direction, became famous throughout Europe, visited by and referred to admiringly in the memoirs of many tra velers of that day. For this was in the sixteenth century; the foundling home was the Ospedale della Pieta, in Venice; and the young priest was named Vivaldi. Mr. Kendall E. Robinson, a member of our Chamber, told us one day, over a morning cup of coffee, about Vi valdi’s life, and it made a deep impression on us. There must have been many of such charity institu tions in the Italy of those times, even as today, probably 214 crowded and inadequately supported from the alms of the rich. Where, seemingly, could Vivaldi have found less opportunity for the exercise of his genius? But it was for this institution that he wrote more than two hundred fifty concertos, some two every month, for many years. As a violinist himself, he emphasized the violin parts and so widened the technique as to gain an until then undreamed-of expressiveness for the instrument. The great Bach diligently studied his compositions and arranged over twenty of them for the organ and the clavier. Recently, his works have been revived for performance in the great concert halls of the world, and recordings have been made for the phonograph of some of his noble compositions. His music is full of fire and spirit, even the compositions written for the Mass. One does not hear the notes of self-abasement or lament even in the Kyrie and Miserere passages. All is joyousness and praise of God and his creation. This out of the dreariness of a foundling home! We may be sure that the Ospedale della Pieta could not for long have been described, after Vivaldi came there, as a silent, cheerless place, with quiet little waifs and older girls busy at their handwork or flitting timidly through the corridors. With the young, red-headed priest leading them, they were soon playing on their violins and a few other instruments and singing with all their might, the gifted taking the more difficult parts and those not so gifted, the easier. The Ospedale must have resounded with music from basement to attic, the glad, sweet strains heard throughout that quarter of the ancient city. It was not the place, or the time, or the position he was assigned to which gave Vivaldi his opportunity. He created his opportunity as he created his music. How often do we feel that if we only had the oppor tunity, we would do great things! But, we say, the cir cumstances are against us; we say that we can do nothing, that the situation is hopeless. But Vivaldi did not say: “I would, if...” or “I would, but...” He said: “I will. Even here, I will.” American Note to the Philippines re Broadening of the E.C.A. Program * *An address delivered on June 17 during the sixth program of the symphonic concert series, "Orchestras of the World", broadcast by Station DZRH in coopera tion with E.C.A. The economic aid program launched by the United States Government on April 6, 1951, was of interim character designed to promote economic strengthen ing and betterment in the Philippines until the United States Congress could be asked for authorization to estab lish an enlarged program of financial and technical aid. This program, for which $15,000,000 has already been allocated, proceeded from the substantial implementation by the Philippine Congress of the Quirino-Foster Agree ment of November, 1950, and from earlier recommenda tions of the United States Economic Survey Mission in September, 1950. “2. In further implementation of the Quirino-Foster Agreement: “(A) The President of the United States in his message to Con gress of May 24, 1951, on Foreign Aid, has requested funds which would make possible additional grants in the fiscal year 1952, for tjie purpose of substantially expanding the initial program already started in the Philippines by the Economic Cooperation Administration’s Special Technical and Economic Mission; and “(B) The Export-Import Bank of Washington is prepared to enter into discussions with representatives of the Philippine Govern ment looking toward the establishment of credits for productive pro jects in the Philippines. “3. In the extension of this grant and loan assistance, the Economic Cooperation Administration and the Ex port-Import Bank will be closely associated to the end that both loans and grants shall be utilized as part of a single integrated and coordinated program of United States aid and Philippine Government efforts designed to help build economic strength in the Philippines and assist in meeting the needs and aspirations of the Philippine people. ‘‘4. These actions reflect the confidence of the Govern ment of the United States that continued progress will be made in carrying out the recommendations of the United States Economic Survey Mission.” •Full text of a note delivered on June 16 to Philippine Foreign Secretary Carlos P. Romulo for President Elpidio Quirino by Julian Harrington, United States Charge de’ Affaires and William Stanley Allen Jr., Acting Chief of the U. S. Special Economic and Technical Mission in Manila. E.C.A. Aid Described * By Salvador Araneta Administrator of Economic Coordination “T AM glad to have this opportunity to speak about our | national economy in terms of what E.C.A. is doing to help us stimulate and develop it. In a very real sense, this assistance from the United States is like a spark plug needed to keep the motor of our economy running with the right degree of power. Let us look at how this works. “The main task facing this country now is that of raising the standard of living of all our people, particularly those at lowest income levels. This means a program of economic development designed to bring about full utilization of those of our human and natural resources at present unused. It means the diversification of economy, the establishment of industries suited to local conditions, the attain ment of higher levels of production, employment and expanding foreign trade. “The Philippine Government has undertaken this vital task, not only by enacting laws which make develop ment possible, but, more positively, by actually initiating specific projects in those fields which do not attract private investment. “Today our efforts are reinforced by a program of E.C.A. aid in the form of both material assistance and technical advice. At this crucial moment in our nation’s 216
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