Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-06-18
THE GAZETTE.
MONDAY EVENING, JUNE Is.
FCOMMCNICATED.
= tCU-ti-HC-NIC
TuF pprsEET STATE OF MUSIC.

. THE ERESEkI SIA1G VI IA oeNS'
.(Evtract from Marks emusic Of the Nine
teenth Century. "-LE1PzIG.
Translation
: In fact, after all,it would be we'll to attempt,
at least, an estimate of the economical results
of our art, to find out what it costs in time and
money, and what it gives in return. Onemust
reckon up the lessons now required-every
week two or three, for from four TO six years Tor
each learner, in each particular branch also,
the time spent in practice-trom two to four
hours daily: the time devoted to encouraging
the pupil to culture, compensation, entertain
ment to concerts, operas, musical parties
One must observe how these hours of lessons
and practice crowd themselves in between the
INDISPENSABLE school aud working hours; how
This pressing of one thing upon the heels of an
other, allows no leisure for any Inward, true
conception Of art itself, not to speak Of the har
mcnious development of the whole man. The
money, reckoning every one nay make for HIM
selt-l need only call attention to one TACT, that
30 teacher isso dearly paid as the music teacher;
20 instruction is so costly as musical lnstruc-
ton. This, again, has had Tor an Immediate
consequence, that musical instruction, like ev-
cry other lucrative trade, has drawn host OF
practitioners, eagerly engaged In winning, and
"a sending out new troops CT amateurs.
But when there IS no pure, disinterested love
ior art, when not the calling for art. and the
teachers Office, but only the need OF money, and
the desire of gain have given thelnpulse, then,
n the best case, only an external sssldulty and
conScientiousness, not in regard to the thing
itself, but to the assumed duty, can prevail :
here is practicipg and learning with more rest
less effort, but abstractly and mechanically !;
then teaching goes on early and late with fur
her practice, until the nerves are blunted or
unstrung, on what the hu1nor and the fashion
OF the day brings forth. art becomes mechan-
ical-ro fault Of the victim, but the corse-
quencc. of false position-an it.passcs mechan-
icay into the people. Thus IS formed the pc
cuiiar class of f''connoisseurs, or OF so-cal!ed
'rnusicians' par Grccllencc, and Of the music
mad amateurs who run from one concert to
another, assist if possible at two or three re-
unions, .devour two or three symphonies, three
or six quartettcs, two orcrures to Fidclio or
On Iphigenia at unce, and hear everything, one
after another, all in a hcap-and naturally
enough carry away from this hurried and con-
fused meal nothing but the vague remarks: it
went quite well" this one sang Or played so,
the other SO, this composition is very fine, ',
or" did not speak to me, is beautifully worked
ans "reminiscences" and whatever else such
fertile JUDGMENT may let drop.
The no5Icr nature OF art shows i:sct in this
that it slips away from impure hands,
and shrinks from any unclean or alien
motives The work of the laborer, the bust
ness of the merchant, aims at gaia, and IS not
tainted or dcmoralized thereby, although, for
even that, there is no success il the higher
sense without q genuine love OF the work itself.
If finally you wish to know what is the prin-
cipal giSt and substance oflhis dcluge Of music
ask the music publishers and their catalogues
what music is most published; compare the
ton Of the voice with the fruits; a few sang
lottante" opera pieces accidentally brought into
fashion by some prima donna, bungingly
enough initiated from the copy, and some
songs Of that cheap meadow growth, pleasant
and chalaoterlcss as blades Of grass, welcome
at their first appearance, IS the first crocuses
in spring, and as soon forgotten /; compare too
the ''cxercises in velocity which consume
the years of these myrads Of piano dilettanti
and vrtuosi and aspirants after vl;tuosity, with
the sum Of real works Of art which come only
to The scholars acquaintance, not 10 speak CT
artistic understanding and Interpretation; m
QuiIe how many, besides the lew who reach a
iar result Of all their efforts and their Sacrifices
after long years OF assiauous learning present
ly deslst forever from all active part in Art, or
at least from all attempt to progress, beyond
the stand point OF the last lesson. Either
you Will readily .admit-some richer and higher
result must be won through such far proSpec-
tive exercises or the burden aud time consump-
tive OF the preparatory exercises must be les.
sened, and be brought into some proportion
with the same result, if the occupation of one
self with music is to be anything else than
Eanton waste Of time: moacy, and nervous ca
ergy, If 1t is to be a blessing to the human
race. -..-r5s.l;. .r@--,r e LANCGL0T. |