Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-13
MUSIC OF NORTHLAND.
NOTES gsox a EUROPEAN rHlp.
swsdIsh rsiksspss and Daness--A visit "
uiiler-His Views on Art.


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swedish Fsikssnss and Daucss--A viss "
uilier-His Views on Art.
London correspondent OF the Tribune
writes. Since nv last letter have been
over large part Of Norway. Sweden, aud
Germany. The trip across the Osisee to
I Cotbenburg was decidedly lively but by
no means musical. The steamer was as
small as nutshell. and exhibited suti-mu.
steal tendencies, for, as ioyial quartet oil
Americans sat on the paddlc-box extending
musical invitations to "co'ne where their
| love lay dreaming" the wheel flew of its
bearings and the singers ran for their lives
| amid perfect shower Of spIlnters OF wood
and fragments Of iron. Fortunately no one
was hurt. and after delay Of two hours
the boat went on, and Gothenburg was
finally reached.
DO Won remember the noble sentence OF
| Lord Burleigb 10 bis daughter, In sheri-
| dams "Critic.n where. after she eyciaims
that she sees the approach OF the Spanish
! armada, the decks running with blood, the
| fierce combat, etc., her father gravely as
serts:
sThe Spanish feet thou canst not see,
Becausc-it Is not yet IN sirht"7
This Is exactly my predicament. cannot
describe Gothenburg's music because II did
not seem 10 have any. At the Tiyoli OF
that placid city the city band played selec-
lions from the "Beggar Student in
Swedish; at least am sure that there were
many foreign innovations in their perform-
apce. But in Cbristiauia I was more for
tunate. Here ] found, II not any OF
the great scandinavian composers, AZ
least touch Of true northern mu-
sic. Through the kindness OF o friend
was Invited TO gathering OF
peasants a Few miles out OF Chrisiiania,
where there was to be music and dancing.
was rot slow 10 accept this, even u 1t was
not genuine northern "Halling." The
orchestra was not greatly different from
what might have been found in similar
gathering in an American Village, but there
was far more life than have seen at any
dance save at a similar gathering IN Hun
gary. where the frenzy grew so wild that |
feared for my safety. The first dance was
done by single couples, and looked like a
southern "break. down" Between the
pauses IN the dance / begged that might
hear some OF the folksOngs OF Norway,
and at last two iair-haired girls began
10 sing, unaccompauied. The song was
one Of the cattle songs OF the North-One
which was generally sung at evening while
the cows were driving home and in il the
pra;se Of each COW were chanted aud
net name given to each. ] have heard mu-
sic OF the same purport in Switzerland, but
il was not so tenderly sweet and melan-
cboIy. All through the vocal music 81
Scandinavia there runs VEN OF inefLble
tenderness and resignation, and this sad
dened calm Is TO be found on the faces and
In the characters, too, very frequently. The
music OF Hungary is as deeply minor. but
there the fury OF the "Friska" Is put in
vehement contrast with the tranquility
of The "Lassu," while here there are
no sudden contrasts and no attempts
at surprises. But the "IIaling" is alto
gciher different, and yet as thoroughly
Norwegian as any OF the plaintiye songs.
In this the male dancer simply attempts to
kicl, higher and higher, and is spurred on
by the music growing more and more
emphatic the higher he kicks. IL would
remind Of q Tarantella but for the fact
that il is less flowing, and the smooth 6-S
time IS replaced by brusque - move
ment. The folk-music Of Norway is per-
feet mine of wealth, for each province
seems 10 have its own songs, and each dill
iers from the other In some degree.
in Copenhagen, on my return, found
sdiSon m0yte. musicians almost gone, Ka-
pelmeister Svondsen on sick bed. and the
weather grown cold as charity. a Trebelli
concert at the TivoIi, at which Nine. IRE
beli won n respectable triumph Gf the two
terms are cOmpatibIc). and VI. OXIDE Musin
played his usual Mendelssohn concerto,
with numb fingers. 1t is an alleSorical fact
in open-sir concerts that when Mercury de-
sends the MUSES. fly. also sang like tue
Vikings in the Fridi oi-saga-
"Wir zchen mach Sudlichen zonen"-
and packed my trunk and left Copenhagen
for Cologne. In this city / was fortunate
enough 10 find the NesiOr OF German mu-
sic-Dr. Ferdinand Hiller-who had not
vet left the field Of his musical labors,
although his post as city director has now
been assumed by Or. Wullner, OF Dresden,
because Of Killers increasing age.
Dr. Hitler is large, heaviy-buiA man,
with broad yet mobile features. aud sparse
gray hair. His slow motions and his feeble
gait make 1t reasonable enough that he
should desire TO resign from too active mu-
steal service, yet in his cleaning eye and in
his animated conversation there is no trace
Of age. lie exhibited vivid interest In
American musical affairs which feel con-
WINGED did not spring merely from desire
10 fla,ter his guest. His American friends
were ct once inquired Tor. DIR. Damrosch,
Mr.. Otto FlOorsheim, Of New York, and
Messrs. Lang and Dresel. Of Boston, were
cordially remembered by him, and then en-
sued a conversation on the state OF music
in America. England, and Germany, in
which the renowned musician and essayist
gave many valuable opinions.
You Me too gigantic in music" said
he. at il q natural fault OF nation which
likes TO do things en- qTOS, but music will
not allow itself TO be wholesaled.' lie in-
quired about the position OF opera in zoe
United States, and gave him condensed
history OF the JOYS and sorrows OF the ope-
ratio war Of New York's last musical sea-
son. lie expressed the hope that German
operas would not DC given until every de-
tail could be perfectly rendered, "O!her-
wise it viii be misunderstood, said he;
"the German opera is in lis essence opposed
TO the star system"
In the course OF q conversation upon the
different epocbs OF composition, he express
ed the belief that the COLDER past, when
Beethoven, Mozart. and Haydn poured ont
symnbOnies. would remain the high-wltcr
mark OF music, as the era Of Raphael and
his contemporaries that Of painting.
"Whom have we to-day in this Geld?"
said he. "perhaps Brahms; but IL now is
not the true croch OF creation. il Is at least
that OF execution, and the great works have
never had so adequate representation be-
iore.n
yenturcd to express the hope that our
native music might be partially familiar to
him, but here, alas, | experienced disap-
pointment. He knew nothing Of "Sweet
Vlolets." and he was entirely unacquainted
with GIlmore's National Hymn. was
more sorry To find that such works as
Paine's "Gdipus" and "Spring SYM
pbony" had not yet penetrated into Ger
many. In parting, | asked DR.. KILLER il
we might ever hope 10 have him in Amer
lea. ALAS, mol " said he, II is now too
late" But be spoke again OF his pleasant
American irieT d.. and Of the interest with
which he watched American programmes
and musical doings. And so | left him,
feeling that had seen OF OF the strongest
Of writer's. yet one OF the mlldest OF men.
and one Of the leading prophets OF modern
German purism 10 music.
That night. by invitation Of one OF the
editors OF the RQlnische hdcnricsten, at
tended one OF the most Teutonic OF Ger
man musical fessts. 1t was the visit OF the
Schubertbund Of Vienna to the Nannerge-
sangverein. The truo inwardness OF such
an occasion can only be known 70 your
German readers. Those who have been in
the hall OF the LiederkrapZ OF New York