New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MOZART.


TIE GREAT EGd BY fS sU pp hi ls
ecriUner & Wexford.
Dr Grbrinp's contribution to Mr.. Huefiers series
AZ h,ographes is distinguished by the qualities
which belong to q good article for an encyclopaedia
II covers the subject adequately, In dry and
rainstaking way, presenting the facts IN Mozsrfs
life with sufficient amplitude OF detail and attention
10 dates, and giving a summary account oil Ills
principal compositions. This being all that the
author has attempted, we should perhaps stop
with the remark that he has accomplished his task
intelligently and spare ourselves the trouble OF
complaining that he did not undertake something
different. But set Of hand-books OF the great
musicians cannot be said to serve very Important
purpose if they only give such particulars as we
can find in the standard biographical dictionaries.
Their chief value is in an exposition Of the place OF
each composer in the history Of art the character
istics Of his genius and the lines upon which he adj
yanced beyond his predecessors. In these respects
the career of Mozart is extremely interesting. we
cannot saw that DR.. Gehring has given clear
survey of it, and this is the more provoking because
in the revival of musical studies aud the new views
of art which we owe the activity OF the modern
German school. il is seen that Mozart represents
most important stage of progress His greatness Is
much better understood now than it was twenty
years ago and we believe that in tho future no
will be loved and rovered still more than ne Is
to-day This book is particularly unsatisfactory
In what little it says of MOzsrts treatment OF the
orchestra; and his work in the development OF the
symphony is practically ignored Yet both In the
handling of the instruments and the management
of the themes Mozarts orchestral scores were the
revelations of something wholly new in music.
In the symphony he was the first to break away
from Journalism in the opera he was the first to give
dramatic functions to the orchestra. Beethoven
and Wagner his lineal descendants In these TWO
species of composition; while in the art OF nstru
mental c0lOring and combination all the modern
school might learn from him. 1t may DO doubted
whether the effect of the blending and contrasting
OF tones and their exact adaptation to the subject
-" ooloring is the only word to express what we
mean-has ever been carried to higher point than
in Mozart's Requiem" How far his orchestra
WA In advance Of his time Is plain enough from the
fact that he the only composer Of the eighteenth
century whose overtures and symphonies can
safely DO placed after works of the contemporary
school on our concert-programmos.
Dr. Gehring has failed to discuss these aspects OF
Mozarts music, nor has he even said enough about
the characteristics of the operas nor Las he dwet
at all upon the songs. He seems inclined to put
aside the plain evidences Of Mozsrts sincere relig-
ious feeling and belief; while he treats with an
almost fantastic seriousness the composers interest
In Freemasonry. and finds in problematc references
to that brotherhood reason for admiring the In
tolerable absurdites of the libretto OF The Magic
Fluten On the other hand We heartily thank him
for sparing us the usual sentimental platitudes
about Mozart's unhappiness Like many other mon
of genius the composer of Don Giovanni" was
misunderstood in his own day. He was often neg
lected often iltreated, often debt. and he died
DOOR But the delightful volumes of his corro-
spondence which have long been before the
world show sunny disposition which no
trouble could long cloud, and an open loving heart
which found In friendly and domestic ties CON-
pensaton for the injustice of patrons ant the press
ure of poverty. Happine Is the result OF ten
permanent more than of circumstances; and even If
Mozart's life had been filled with misfortune rs 1t
certainly was not we cannot think that he wouid
have boon miserable. The buoyancy which rises
above grief was not with him, as it is with SO
many, an indication of shallow and unstable feel
ing: il was the mark OF q singu.arly gentle and
sympathetic nature which will not brood over
disappointments while love- and hope, and imagi-
nation hover around to console it. We need not
read the life of Mozart to know what he was. lie
declared himself in his music. Arr has mover pro-
duced perfect Expression OF personal charac-
ter In the ocOse Jrlfes which amused his gayer mo-
ments in the grave service of the church,
in the majestic measures of the Jupiter
Symphony, in the mingled pathos and
brilliaucy of the songs, the incompar-
able poetic charm half melancholy and half merry,
which illuminates "The Marriage of Figaro" or
the dramatic power which gives immortality to
g Don Juan,"-everyw here we can trace reflections
of that beautiful serenity which adds tenderness TO
tears and solennity to devotion His COMPOSITIONS
are interpenetrated by delightful and inexhaust-
ibe spirit of melody. irradiatlng every theme with
flashes of mysterious light playing necessarily
about the Accomplishments OF the opera, and filling
the symphony with half-hidden fapces which mu-
sicians trace out with enthusiasm and surprise.
This gives to Mozart certain fascination which
no other composer exerts. Somewhat akin to the
beautiful individuality OF his style was the uncon-
auerable equanimity and cheerfulness OF his
temper-a thoughtful and spiritual joyousness
as far removed from mere animal gayety
az the exquisite grace and poetic feeling OF the Fig
aron transcend the vlvacious trifing of Fra Di-
ovolo "and the vulgar inges of Ohenbaeh. There is
in short q fine elusive quality in Mozart which
most biographers miss in writing about him, just
az all but the very first of conductors miss it in the
Interpretation Of bis music.