New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-10

Yet he profoundly feels that music based entire
" upon characteristic northern inspiration by the
monotony of the motives and the consequent ne
cessary uniformity of treatment, offers no broad
sphere for artistic development, but a field very
quickly limited by the safety Of the audience
He therefore threw himself into German music,
with the intent of ,ningling the two styles, and
gradually abandoned himself entirely to the Ger
man influence The fusion OF the two he has not
yet accomplished we shall see if he can do it.
But let no man rcproach Gade with this effort Of
seeking to supply the wants of Northern music
with what alone could supply it. He is German
as well as Northern, and therefore more than any
other loreigner-thc Engliahman not excepted
able to appreciate the depth and earnestness OF
German art. The musical cultivation OF Scandl'
navian lands is grounded upon the classicaLty OF
that of countries Of the same stock and Is directed
by German masters
But the distinctive Northern School must date
from Gade for while the other laborers in that
vineyard have been too German, and have even
lost the nationality of characteristic songs; ne
has understood how to elaborate the rough, hard'
melancholy spirit OF his native land into the high
Ell artistic MISUNDERSTANDING to melodise IL
and to ideaise it through art. This Is PROOF Oh
the essential value of these melodies. Indeed the
German moitrcS are especially adapted to these
artistic eaborations--to profound combinations
and meaning varieties, and ali works of art, we
are still cleavng to our German authorty which
arc endowed with these peculialities properly
belong to this nation. Where the result was at
tempted by foreigners, it was always the resutot
O German influence The Northern School, as
Gade POUNDS it, and as others may perhaps follow
in building will be distinguished like the German
by carnestness and Depth but will certainly al
ways lack the German geniaty tenderness and
fervor of expression. The fixed melodies OF the
North have only a one sided character, and allow
only limited treatment in counterpoint
The four finest works Of Gade characterize to
us the rude cold poetry Of Ossian which 50 strong
" reminds us always ofthe old German Odins and
Freias. The overture =" I'm H0cAlaad' departs
little from the melancholy Scandinavian type; its
clear coloring recalls Walter SCOTS pictures of the
Scottish highlands, and its elegance pliability and
transparency make it a most admirable introduc-
ton to Gades music. In the overture to Ossian
on the contrary, we have only the Northern bard
under the twilight sky. The painting is mon
otonous and colorless yet it makes singulary
truthful impression, for the theme allowed no 9TH
er treatment. The nearer is irresistiby reminded
of Memberships Fing0lS C0ue;' indeed, Gade
doubtless took his idea somewhat from Mendels-
sohn, who has had the greatest influence upon his
development. The difference between the two
works is easily apprehended by the already indi-
Gated distinction of German and Northern music
The symphony in C minor so strongly express
es the specific Standardization OF which we
spoke that it produces in the nearer, who was not
prepared for so new STYLE almost an emotion OF
terror. Hence, it is easily enough seen why it
met in so many quarters with most caustic criti-
cism. A Cologne critic says that it is mass of
lauehable and far.fetched and hammered-out ma
terials that the finale especially is miserable
deafening blare AN exaggerated expression o.
opinion that has got some truth in It, What he
calls far.fetched is only foreign; but more heavily
falls the report that the composerhammers out ms
material TOO much. The same tendency appears
in several subsequent works but the complaint
OF the finale is unjust for the DID, rock hearted he
roes ofthe North must needs speak loudly They
are not simperiugs Of love but intone battle
hymn; it is Berserker rage, and will not tolerate
any bounds; and although the first two parts OF
the work are more mildly treated they DO not
iniure but well prelude the impression OF the
finale. The scherzo has lively, rhythmic mo
tive and is better in Instrumentation than the rst
part The andante is not entirely in unison with the
rest; the North is here mingled with the German
magic, and that element as appears IN It's archie
TYNE, Mozart, streams sweetly out upon the rest
an oasis of Southern heaven grit with Norwegian
rook-ribs
We must omit the pleasant description of Cor
ralQ. the dramatic song, which the composer has
treated with genuine northern sentiment. 1t is
perhaps the best thing he has yet done-or the
works that have followed have had technical fail
ings Of which the mere dilettanti are little cogni
snnt Yet he often surpasses Schumann and
even Mendessohn in instrumentaton-tor if the
latter knows how to detail certain finer effects
vet g. distinguishes himself by greater variety
and pomp. This latter trait constantly leads
him to elaborate too much Omitting symphony
or two quite unknown to us VIC remark that his
earlier chamber music is of the native northern
style, but lattery tends to the German school,
But i'll these compositions he shows the same skill
and splendor of Instrumentation His practical
experience in the orchestra--tor he was formerly
violinist in Copenhagen--is an advantage to
him, which he understands how to use. Of less
worth again are his songs, for they bctray his
weakness in the invention of fluent, snga5lc and
touching nlelodies-add to which his imperfect
knowledge Of the German language sometimes
occasions false defamation in the songs.
Net may well predict high trumphs for
Gades future. He is yet young and ripening-
nor does he lack generous friends and judicous
Al, pbc, e,.J
his countrymen love to honor the first great com.