New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-05-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
sCUUNANVS CRITICISMS.

MUSIC AND MUSICIANS ESSAYS and Criticisms by
RouERr SchCBANN Translated ctec ana e s, e,, ~,
bern & Go. ~
Mrs. Ritter has done an admirable work and
has done II extremely well schumann is not easy 10
translate His style fancifu his Imagery is often pro
fuse De IS fond OF little cCnccts, delicate and graceful IN
the original Jut difficult to turn into another language;
and lie loads his light chceIful-we had almost SAID
gosipnc-pages with pregnant suggestions vhon would
be apt TO escape any but 2 thoroughly @mp"'heuc
translator. II is fortunate that he Is now muoouceu "
English readers by who so well understands NM.
Mrs Ritter has devoted long time to the congeh"'
task and the comey volume before Us is little more thah
speeimeD OF the great collection Of treasures she mas III
readiness for the printer How much OF the iehaihdr
we shall have depends mainly we suppose nron our
selves II to be hoped that the venture viii meet Win
u cordial public welcome, for the influence OF
these charming essays cannot fail To be suons
and wholesome. In the foundation OF the
Eeue Zfitee6yiR fir Musk schumsun rendered
great and permanent service to art whose value even
now perhaps We cannot fully estimate. Who shall say
how many an talent may have been guided 10
its path, how many tender flower OF genius per
fishing in sterile soil have been nufsed to fuil
bloom by the influence Of this famous critical journal
which watched sharply for every sign OF aesthetic
progress aud encouraged 50 warmly and powerfully
every good tendency in ari The mission OF his paper
saws Mrs Ritter, 20 erect "a barrier between INV
olous superfciality or mechanical routine, ana the
earnest cndeavOrs VOCcO-musical art ." HIS mhF
once vas not destructive depressing; IL was h@ne
cent aud inspiring" "Hc understood and carried out
the true mission Of the criticize discover and encour
acc real mort 20 fown down. TO ridcuc II need he, all
Influences personal otherwise which are erroneous III
themselves delctcrOus to ant 10 point 20 the RENE
diablc involuntary fault, and at the same time 70 the
best means Of correcting it," He was the first TO give
al enthusiastic welcome to the strange and beauniui
creations Of Chopin which at that time even Mendessohn
condemned he perceived the merits Of neu 50 utterly
unlike as Brahms and Stendae Bennett he was one oI
the earliest TO understand Boroz and 20 recognize Wac
ner he discovered the great mayor symphony oil schu
bert and he was one OF he wamcst admirers OF Mendes
sohn Guided by his cordial ana apprecauye spnlt ms
quick perception, his deep knowledge his utterly I'M
selfish AMBITION the little coterie Of critics aDd cssaysts
who gathered around him in the office Of the Meme let
scrid gave an Impulse the improvement OF music and
the extension OF cute which lasted far beyond Their
lives and Il perhaps destined 20 he felt for long time
yet to come Some OF schumann's admirers maintain
that he has served the world even more as an al eic
than as q composer; hut Mrs Ritter ia undoubtedly night
IN rejecting this notion as a extravaganza.
We should be glad II this book found It's way into
aowsuapcr offices especially for Schmnouns essays
contain models Of nearly all tic good qualities which
American art criticism cOnspicuoasy lacks. We have
but ieyg writers on music who have any claim to The
rank OF critic at all. The gentlemen upon whom the
caprice o. fortune has too often imposed the duty OF DIS
secting compositions and passing artiss IA reyew nave
little idea Of the dignity o. their Onicc, the mischief
which they may DO by ignorant or careless cousuc the
ftill greater mischief which may follow the mistaken
kindness Of uumerited praise They rarely distinguish
between the imperfect promise that needs encourage
ment and the confirmed medioCry that deserves CON
tempt They are lavish with compliments TO mer"cnaiy
advcnturcrs; or they slash at the little Iaii-
incs Of true merit or, hidc-bound with an
Gent preirdices, they stand in the path OF
progress waving their arms aud shouting, Back,
back "a the Encouragement Of earnest and en-
lcl:cncd enloayor We have not much faith in the fire.
quent charge the newspaper critic Is cap
tured by social influences COssCr fomS Of corruption
His common fault is nothing more than lack Of SYM
patty with truth, and faGl tolerance for h0mhug He
* Tie victim Of that mediOery which Ia the great curse
Of an art u America and Of musical art especially In
Rchumau's fascinating paplrs,-all OF them short,
lyey modest pOcjicCl, many Of them specimens Of Just
such writing as tine periodical press needs today-our
critics Of better class may tud an encouragement 70
pcr~cycrc i'm the right path, and oar ducr writer, on
music q stimulus for their sleeping ambition. We see IN
these articles completely the true critic puts aside
ali his personal ,ancies end judges Of everything with
broad catholic taste. We that he is not nwcd hy
great ropuatioHs-wue-s Schumaun's severe but just
ana temperate remarks upon Mcyerbeer; that he IL not
the slave the fashions AM Ghis being perhaps one Of
lis most important qualifications that he lacks neither
the feeling uor the courage TO be enthusiastic.