Antonin Dvorak -the great Czech (Classical) composer, in a statement he made in the New
York Herald on May 21, 1893: “I am now satisfied that the future music
of this country (USA) must be founded on what are called the Negro
melodies. This must be the real foundation of any serious and original
school of composition to be developed in the United States. All of the
great musicians have borrowed from the songs of the common people.
Beethoven’s most charming scherzo is based upon what might now be
considered a skillfully handled negro melody. In the negro melodies of
America I discover all that is needed for a great and noble school of
music. They are pathetic, tender, passionate, melancholy, solemn,
religious, bold, merry, gay or what you will. It is music that suits
itself to any mood or any purpose. There is nothing in the whole range
of composition that cannot be supplied with themes from this source”.
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