Interpretation in Song

Who was the great tenor of the thomas-kirche? There is no memorial even of his name; but Bach who wrote the great arias for him is with us for all time. If the tenor of the Church cantatas is buried and forgotten, surely the Singer of the British ballad is justified in dying young. There is another far more dangerous than he; the man who with great gifts, competent training, and full knowledge deliberately uses his powers for degraded ends. Such a man is not only a traitor to his art but a menace to society, for the public looks to him for guidance and follows in his path. The greater the man, the greater the responsibility and the greater the crime. Unlike the other, he trusts that history will let him alone.