The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-13

be compressed into one article, we shall
divide the results Of our research amongst
the opinions Of the ancientS and moderns
with our own conclusions into chapters
on
MUSICAL cRITlcIsM,I.
As preface to q more thoughtful con-
alteration Of this subject, we remark that
it is tor most persons very unpleasant to
be criticised. 1t is like cold shower
bath, almost takes ones breath away az
ter having done what ones self considers
excellent, to have the critic say you did
wretchedly; but in the nature Of things il
you sing or play, you must expect 10 be
criticised. The moment one performs be.
fore one or more listeners, criticism
springs up. Your dearest friend, although
he never says a word except in praise,
will criticise; sing in company and your
little circle will criticise; sing in public
and the daily papers criticize you with
out mercy; do what you please in music,
critical remark will follow. Sing alone
or play alone and you will scarce ever
have critic, and be spared the shower
bath and its reaction Of burning indigna.
ton at your critic; for very few persons
have the courage 10 be their own
critics, and so omit it for the COM
fort Of the thing. II criticism be
so universal, il must have reason for its
existence; il must have value or it would
not he made in such large quantity. One
says, "it is created for the warming and
comforting Of ill.natured souls who, not
being able TO sing or play themselves,
are enyious OF those who can" "Criti.
cism is the child Of spite and envy"
This is not true. Anybody can ring the
changes OF praise-everybOdy thinks they
eau criticise-so all the world does both,
the first spariDgly, the latter with charm.
ing liberality. Criticism, we mean true
criticism, is valuable to the singer and
player. Praise, unduly bestowed, weak.
ems our effort; we lull ourselves into be-
lief our faults go unnoticed, that our ex-
cellencies 30 far outweigh our poor ex-
ecution and faulty conception Of the
composers idea as TO merit CONNIE nda-
ton. Criticism is a capital tonic, and
often the more bitter il is, the better its
effect; ones delinquencies stand out di.
vested Of all the poetry and sentiment
thrown ever them, hideous, the
more 70 because Others cloak
them with less charity than we do.
Criticism does 4 vast deal OF good to the
wise ones, and destroys the foolish ones.
Praise ia very comforling-it is real nice,
it very often helps 10 develop talent, but
never in the healthy manner criticism
does. TO dread criticism implies weak
ness, 10 court it implies strength. We
know Of singers and players who invite
criticism, and these singers and players
are the ones that are making progress.
We know others who fear criticism, and
they sing the old song they sung "long
years ago." and always will. Half OF real
progress is TO avoid errors and mistakes,
1t is pardonable to make an error once;
10 be shown it and make it second time
admits OF no excuse in singer and d
player; therefore criticism isl the warn.
ing oil the danger and becomes
Of value 10 those who wish TO make pro.
gress. The goose as a bird is not open
to critical remarks-he walks, he lies
and swims, and the combined effort is
uahOppy; he never discovers the absurd.
ity OF his movements and remains a
goose-his habits never change. Some
singers and players are like-they
refuse all criticism or cannot open
their minds TO it any more than can The
goose, and so remain in the old rut,
They attempt operate arias, songs tina,
require the utmost nicely OF phrasing,
expression, pronunciation and singing,
play braVura music, the aonata or the sym.
phonic poem, with the utmost disregard
US to execution and expression, and then,
il you tell them how they perform OF
execute the music, they never forgive you.
Criticism hurts both the critic and the
criticised; SO think most OF the musical
people. It is not nice TO say sharp things.
One ought to be charitable, and pay com.
pliments for doing so well. All this ia
nonsense. Real, honest, open, discrim.
mating criticism is good; ithurts neither
the giver nor the receiver. 1t is to the
shame OF musical people that they dread
il 80 much-a disgrace that our singers
and players are SO timid and wrathiul
over it. The time was when there was
little or none; the daily press was simply
the record oil musical events, and repeated
cheap praise. These things are passing
away, criticism is likely to be sharper,
more severe and outspoken than before.
Where there is no criticism there is no
real progress, and it is q happy sign Of
our improved culture, that look where
you will, all over our land, musical crit.
cism has risen to high estate. This is
demanded by the better education Of our
people; they are not satisfied with seeing
u report, "all did so well it would be
invidious to commend one more than
another" they want to know how and
what each performer did, their good
qualities and their bad. In music, ~ in
literature, criticism must be accepted;
without it, the art will go backward
while one who hears their effort CRITICS.
ed and learns, will utterly distance the
timid one who shrinks from criticism and
is content to do poor singing and poor
playing.
FUNERAL OF MAY. FRANzHE1N.-Tbq
funeral OF Mai. Geo. w. Franzheim took