Music as a Profession.

Mr. Arthur Foote, one of the greatest American composers, lectured in Sever Hall last evening on the choice of music as a profession. He was introduced by President Eliot and spoke as follows:

A few years ago it would have seemabsurd for an undergraduate to think seriously of taking up music as a profession. Music was then considered to be rather an idle occupation, more like amusement than serious work, and the life of a musician did not present an attractive prospect. But of late years music has been more free from this stigma, and all the arts are meeting with public appreciation. A musician cannot become a rich man, but he may be a very happy one. Unless he has an independent income, he must do more or less teaching, and, indeed, ability to teach is a requirement of the greatest importance.

In regard to the salary of musicians it may be safely asseted that exceptional men get as high as $7,000 or even $8,000 a year. but there are not more than a dozen such incomes in this country. A first class musician may expect to get anywhere from $2,500 to $4,000 per annum. But it must be remembered that these amounts are received only by men of remarkable talent. The best teachers get four, five, or six dollars an hour for their lessons. It is very advisable that a man learn to play the organ, so that he may take the position of church organist and the four or five hundred dollars he will make in this way will be found a very convenient addition to his other sources of revenue. Concert playing must not be looked to as a means of livelihood. There are not more than half a dozen men in this country who earn their living in that way. Composing music is anything but a lucrative employment, and though occasionally large sums are paid for a composition, publishers will not usually give more than a dollar or two for them. On the other hand if a man has a love for this kind of work he may get considerable pleasure out of it and feel at the same time that he is adding a little to the musical literature of his country.

Every musician should play on the pianoforte somewhat, and will also find a knowledge of the violin and singing useful. Besides these accomplishments a musical education should include a knowledge of the theory of music, which is taught here, and a physiological study of the throat and hands is important. It is inadvisable to make a specialty of string or wind instruments, for a man who does so will have to compete with foreigners, who have given all their attention to their instruments, and will play for less than Americans can afford to. Playing on the pianoforte does not require so much time as the violin, and the best authorities consider that in no case should more than three hours a day be given to the former instrument, even by professional pupils. It is a mistake to think that organ playing is injurious to the finest piano playing. The truth is that ability to play the organ will be found greatly to help the pianist. The expense of receiving a musical education here is not more than five or six dollars a week in addition to a man's regular expenses.

As good teaching can be obtained here as abroad, but on the continent one is enabled to study music to better advantage, because he is surrounded by a musical atmosphere and has nothing to distract his attention from his work. But there is a good deal lost in going abroad, since, when a man returns, he has to begin at the very beginning. and perhaps will not be able to make more than a hundred dollars for two or three years, while if he had stayed at home he would have gradually worked his way ahead. In short, going abroad to complete a man's musical education is not now a necessity, and in many cases not an advisable step.