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The R.A. M." Controversy.

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The R.A. M." Controversy. (To the Editor of the Pioneer.) SIR,-Thi,s correspondence appears to have changed from a mild warning from 11r Belcher to 'gentlemen making an unwarrantable use -of the letters afteir ,their name to a personial attack by Mr D. (Clwyd:) Griffiths upon one who stands in the front rank as a musician. One wonders why Mr Griffiths should .take upon himself to dei-end Mr Davie:s in an untenable position. He appears not to comprehend that there is a difference between the innocent adoption of a second Christian name, and using distinctive letters implying qualifications to which one is not entitled. I think I am right in saying thagc .in addition to his college degree of M.A., Mr Belcher is also al F.R.C.O. and, A.R.C.M. Mr Belcher's credentials are not in dispute, but even he would) be blameable if he allowed others to dub him with distinctions he has n,o,t Let a licentiate of one of the -medical colleges use the letters of M.D. after his name, andi-his professional brethren well soon bring him to. book. Why should these libertie-s be, tolerated in the musical profession? ;But again, why should Mr D. Griffiths constitute himself the champion .of the imaginary rights of Mr MaEm- gwyn Da vies? I hear on all sides that Mr Davies is a good composer. Canndc he spare a few moments and compose a reply? I have' nelither seen nor heard that Mr Belcher even in- sinuates that Mr Maengwyn Davies is not all t-hat Mr Griffiths thinks he is. I, for one, will not odlisturb his day-dream. As a professional man- and the mouthpiece of his professional brethren, Mr 'Belcher is right in taking steps to prevent men from sailing under false colours. Mir Griffiths gives tl-iei show away in your last issue but one, when he informs us that Mr Davies studied at the Royal Academy of Music. for three years. Surely in this time he might have qualified for at least L.R.A.M. A goo-dl case is often spoilt by a bad advocate, but here is an instance of "nO' case; 'bully the judge." I fancy Mr D'avies -is tempted to exclaim,, "Save me from my friends." I am not writing this to bolster up Mr Belcher, for he does not require it; but to give a piece of advice to Mr Griffiths to keep clear of the musical arena, unless he is so well equipped in musical matters asto know how to take up the gauntlet on behalf of Mr Maengwyn Davies, a task which would be beliter done by Mr Davies himsel if he had a leg to stand upon. -I am, etc., AN ASAPHUSIAN. (To the Editor of the Pioneer.) SlR,-I have- been asked, as one who takes a great interest in musical doings, to express my opinion on the subject which is at present ex- citing so 'much interest locally, in musical cir- cles especially. I write) with an entirely impartial mind it is a musical matter, and to me, as well as to several more lovers of music, notbihig but regret can be felt that over such a trivial thing as ap- pending the letters R.A.M. to one's name, so much unpleasantness should thereby be caused. Degrees at all colleges and! .musical institu- tions are very jealously guarded, and an attempt to use any of these degrees, unless the person is !fully entitled to do so according to the rules of the -different colleges, etc., would most cer- tainly be met with a 'letter of enquiry from the secretary of the college or institute, as the case may be. Anyone who takes a thorough interest in musical matters knows very- well that the le-t!ier s T.C.L., R.C.O., L.C.M., and R.A.M., mean nothing more nor less than Trinity College, London; Royal College of Organists London College of iATusic and Royal Academy of Music respectively I have seen these different letters placed after persons' names on several occa- sions, and if this much-beloved R.A.M. orna- ment is to be considered unjust, why not organ- ise a crusade -to demolish the rest- of these bogus degrees? It seems to me that music is getting to be a business rather than pleasure, and very soon those pepole who love music .for its own sake will be spoken, -of as suffering from some very serious mental complaint. There are plenty of professional meni in the world who doo not append any letters to their signature, but they are equal, andi in some cases superior, to many persons who prefer to have- a display of the alphabet after their name. Music was not given solely to churches, chapels, and -music institutes, it is for the bene- fit of mankind generally and if some of .those whom we look upon as leaders in the .great art prefer to use sundry letters after their name, well, let them do so. Music will not suffer.- Yours, etc., W. BENBOW, JUNK. Llandudno Junction. (To the Editor of the Pioneer.) SIR,—The extracts I quoted -from the bye-laws of the "R.A.M." were copied from the 'Musical News" (Vol. II., page 470), to which journal they were communicated by F. W. Renant, secretary -of the R.A.M. The gentleman round whose name this con- troversy has arisen, was, I am informed, a satis- factory student 'at thet Royal Academy, .but was not recommended by the Committee of Manage- ment for any distinction. I have no wish to hurt the feelings of this gentleman, so will refrain from going to the origin of the question of the distinctions so wrongly applied to. him by his and, pupils. He' never uses the' let tens personally, and I am sure he objects to be "decked with tinsel." The injudicious defence' by his pupils reminds me of a story that went the round of the Con- tinental press a short time back. The story con- cerns Mascagni and an organ-grinder. "The peri-piatetic pianist was grinding out the inevit- able intermezzo beneath the' composer's win- dow, and was giving it at such a. rapid tempo that Mascagni could no longer stand quietly and hear his composition- murdered. Rushing r: into the- street, 'he seized the handle of the- in- strument and turned it at the' proper pace, ex- plaining to the astonished' organ-grinder that as he had composed the piece, he ought to know how it should be given. The man was angry at first, 'but when he realised the honour he had received by having a lesson from Mascagni him- self, he broke into a broad -grin, and the next morning he appeared before the composer's house with a huge placard in front of his organ, inscribed "Pupil of the celebrated -Mascagni" Now, what do you think of it all?—I am, etc., LLEWELYN LLOYD. Oakdene, Cartway, Nov. 14, 1903. P.S.—Another .extract ,from same volume of "Musical News," page 602:- "A correspondent explains that after he has pas.sed a stiff examination as 'a test of pro- fessional ability, he is only all-oweld, to put after his ima.me L.R..A.M., bult that ito one who has been merely a student at the Academy, is granted the use of the initials, R.A.M. There- is no un- fairness, as he assumes, in this. The lLceniri- atehip o'f the R.A.'M. is a most honourable and well-recognised distinction, of whileh he may be prouct oif. He should make no complaint ,against the 'Board of Management for bestowing the R.A.M. on an old pupil judged worthy of this fellowship. Again, it should be stated that these. letters cannot be used without authority by old pupils olf the establishment. Indeed, we may -go further, and say "that those using them without licence render themselves liable to prosecution under the provision, of the Academy's Charter." (To the Edilor of the Pioneer.) SIR,-I,t was asserted in the first series of letters that past 'student's of the Royal Academy of Music had a perfect right to the "R.A.M." ap- pendage. However, the extracts from the offi- cial regulations have proved that the Academy students have mo such right. Now, having settled thai: little matter, we come to another, equally easy to dispose of. Mr C. Griffiths asks this question: "Has a per- son who has been a student at !the Royal Academy of M usic a right to -let .the public know he has studied at the Academy or not? For this is the meaning of the letters R.A.M., etc. This question can be answered by asking others in a somewhat similar strain: — (a) Has a person who has been a student at the: Oxford University a right to lelt the public knjow he has studied, at the University? Has he a right to add the letters "-O.U." to his his name? Is it ever done publicly? (b) Has a person who has been a student at the Royal College of Physicians a right to let the public know he has studied a-t the College? Ha'9 he a right to add the letters "R.C.P." to his name? It is ever done publicly? (c) Has a person who has been a student at the Abergele County School a right to let the public know he has, studied1 at the school? Has he a right to add the letters "A.C.S." to his name. Is it ever done publicly? I!c can thus be seen that if this argument of Mr Clywd Griffiths be carried out in a practical) manner almost every person on the ,face of the globe will possess a titular distinction.—.Yours, DFCE., WALLACE HUGHES. Broad Oak, Wrexham, Nov. 14th, 1903. (To the Editor of the Pioneer.) SIR,—II: gave me great pleasure to find that your correspondents from the: Junction have taken Mr Belcher's advice, and have discon- tinued to add R.A.M. to Mr Maen'gwyn. Davies' name, and that Harry Pritchard, the "prize-winner," has also seen well to drop his grand distinction. The title, A.S., which your correspondent graciously bestows on -me, I fear I must ignore; as it is caliculated, to mislead the public. I might be mistaken for a Welsh lM.P., and as I have not that honour I would rather not deceive. It is useless for a ja-ck-daw to strut about in a p-ealcock's feathiers he will be found out, and finally be disgraceci. The answer to.'lIir Clwyd. Griffiths' question: Whether or no a student of the Academy can add; R.A.M. to his name, is an emphatic "No." This would be an institution of the recognised di'stmictions of the Academy, and "the public is cautioned! against being misled by any imita- tion thereof." What would be thought of an undergraduate, who, after being in residence at Oxford! for a few terms, and having leift without taking hi's degree, boldly advertises himself as an M.A., Oxon? This is exactly what your correspondents try to justify. Might I inlform H.P. that the Academy -authorities have done, and continue to. do, all all that can pc expected of them, to check this evil; the irregularity is pointed out in the regu- lations the "public is cautioned against being misled by it; "and, furtlher, whenever an offender is found he or she is the recipient of a 'courteous note from the secretary, drawing his or her attention, to the matter. ¡H.P. should remember that the secretary of the Academy is not the director of public prosecutions. Your correspondent, Thomas Hughe's, who sees in the letters of Mr .Belcher, etc., nothing but a "display of ignorance, and the contents of which are entirely wrong," is quite a treat. Fancy, imagining that -an: University degree could beobtainec1 at the R.A.M. T. H. wants to know on what authority does Mr Belciher ex- pose the misleading use of initials, etc. This is rather a simple question from such a know- ing one. "Titles publicly used must be pub- licly justified." .Before closing, I should like to draw the at- tention of your readers, especially those that live in Colwyn Bay and district, to a new ven- ture called "The Colwyn Bay School of Music." The persons responsible for carrying on the work of this school are two ladies. One af them styles herself as A.L.C.M., the other as A.M.I.C. Will Mr Belcher, or any other gen- Heman, let your readers know the value (if they have any) of these decorations —I am, etc., M.M.

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