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In Spain； for example； Velasquez painted court…dwarfs
and the weavers of the royal tapestry…factories； and all sorts
of persons and subjects connected with the king and his court。
But in Holland； Rembrandt and Frans Hals and Vermeer
painted the barnyard of the merchant's house； and they painted
his rather dowdy wife and his healthy but bumptious children
and the ships which had brought him his wealth。 In Italy on
the other hand； where the Pope remained the largest patron
of the arts； Michelangelo and Correggio continued to paint
Madonnas and Saints； while in England； where the aristocracy
was very rich and powerful and in France where the
kings had become uppermost in the state； the artists painted
distinguished gentlemen who were members of the government；
and very lovely ladies who were friends of His Majesty。
The great change in painting； which came about with the
neglect of the old church and the rise of a new class in society；
was reflected in all other forms of art。 The invention of printing
had made it possible for authors to win fame and reputation
by writing books for the multitudes。 In this way arose
the profession of the novelist and the illustrator。 But the
people who had money enough to buy the new books were not
the sort who liked to sit at home of nights； looking at the ceiling
or just sitting。 They wanted to be amused。 The few minstrels
of the Middle Ages were not sufficient to cover the demand for
entertainment。 For the first time since the early Greek city…
states of two thousand years before； the professional playwright
had a chance to ply his trade。 The Middle Ages had
known the theatre merely as part of certain church celebrations。
The tragedies of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries
had told the story of the suffering of our Lord。 But
during the sixteenth century the worldly theatre made its
reappearance。 It is true that； at first； the position of the
professional playwright and actor was not a very high one。
William Shakespeare was regarded as a sort of circus…fellow
who amused his neighbours with his tragedies and comedies。
But when he died in the year 1616 he had begun to enjoy the
respect of his neighbours and actors were no longer subjects
of police supervision。
William's contemporary； Lope de Vega； the incredible
Spaniard who wrote no less than 1800 worldly and 400 religious
plays； was a person of rank who received the papal approval
upon his work。 A century later； Moliere； the Frenchman；
was deemed worthy of the companionship of none less
than King Louis XIV。
Since then； the theatre has enjoyed an ever increasing
affection on the part of the people。 To…day a ‘‘theatre'' is part
of every well…regulated city； and the ‘‘silent drama'' of the
movies has penetrated to the tiniest of our prairie hamlets。
Another art； however； was to become the most popular of
all。 That was music。 Most of the old art…forms demanded a
great deal of technical skill。 It takes years and years of practice
before our clumsy hand is able to follow the commands of
the brain and reproduce our vision upon canvas or in marble。
It takes a life…time to learn how to act or how to write a good
novel。 And it takes a great deal of training on the part of the
public to appreciate the best in painting and writing and
sculpture。 But almost any one； not entirely tone…deaf； can
follow a tune and almost everybody can get enjoyment out of
some sort of music。 The Middle Ages had heard a little music
but it had been entirely the music of the church。 The holy
chants were subject to very severe laws of rhythm and harmony
and soon these became monotonous。 Besides； they could not
well be sung in the street or in the market…place。
The Renaissance changed this。 Music once more came
into its own as the best friend of man； both in his happiness and
in his sorrows。
The Egyptians and the Babylonians and the ancient Jews
had all been great lovers of music。 They had even combined
different instruments into regular orchestras。 But the Greeks
had frowned upon this barbaric foreign noise。 They liked to
hear a man recite the stately poetry of Homer and Pindar。
They allowed him to accompany himself upon the lyre （the
poorest of all stringed instruments）。 That was as far as any
one could go without incurring the risk of popular disapproval。
The Romans on the other hand had loved orchestral music at
their dinners and parties and they had invented most of the
instruments which （in VERY modified form） we use to…day。
The early church had despised this music which smacked too
much of the wicked pagan world which had just been destroyed。
A few songs rendered by the entire congregation were
all the bishops of the third and fourth centuries would tolerate。
As the congregation was apt to sing dreadfully out of key without
the guidance of an instrument； the church had afterwards allowed
the use of an organ； an invention of the second century of our era
which consisted of a combination of the old pipes of Pan and
a pair of bellows。
Then came the great migrations。 The last of the Roman
musicians were either killed or became tramp…fiddlers going
from city to city and playing in the street； and begging for
pennies like the harpist on a modern ferry…boat。
But the revival of a more worldly civilisation in the cities
of the late Middle Ages had created a new demand for musicians。
Instruments like the horn； which had been used only
as signal…instruments for hunting and fighting； were remodelled
until they could reproduce sounds which were agreeable in the
dance…hall and in the banqueting room。 A bow strung with
horse…hair was used to play the old…fashioned guitar and before
the end of the Middle Ages this six…stringed instrument
（the most ancient of all string…instruments which dates back
to Egypt and Assyria） had grown into our modern four…
stringed fiddle which Stradivarius and the other Italian violin…
makers of the eighteenth century brought to the height of perfection。
And finally the modern piano was invented； the most wide…
spread of all musical instruments； which has followed man into
the wilderness of the jungle and the ice…fields of Greenland。
The organ had been the first of all keyed instruments but the
performer always depended upon the co…operation of some one
who worked the bellows； a job which nowadays is done by electricity。
The musicians therefore looked for a handier and less
circumstantial instrument to assist them in training the pupils
of the many church choirs。 During the great eleventh century；
Guido； a Benedictine monk of the town of Arezzo （the
birthplace of the poet Petrarch） gave us our modern system
of musical annotation。 Some time during that century； when
there was a great deal of popular interest in music； the first
instrument with both keys and strings was built。 It must
have sounded as tinkly as one of those tiny children's pianos
which you can buy at every toy…sho