New-York tribune., 1885-07-02

the critic bruises the musicians head, but the musician
bruises the critics heel" lie asked: What Is the
Ing Of the socaed popularity Of wagn9rs music In the
United states and said that II proof OF OF
musical culture rather than Of advancement IN It.
Continuing he said;
why the charatan should profess despisc critic
and To pay hcmags only % the public scarcely need, an
explanation IL IL the critic alone Who stands
him aud those whom he would victimIe Much of the
d'aheetOh between Inc concert ever ana to concert
reviewer arises from te uBwinSEess OF tho latter 10
enlist IA the conspiracy 10 deceive and dcffau' tbs
public IL Is only when musician, divide the question
Of the rights and merits o the public from the rights
and merits of tAe critic that they seem able
to pni correct estimate upon IN" value ot popular
approval In the Last instance The best among them
inclined, with SchunhEn 10 look upon The public an
elemental power Ike tho weather, "hch must De aken
as II chances TO come. Nov. with oOciey resting upon
the Newspaper, from which IL s impossible 10 escape.
they might view the crue ia the same ght bat ms
they viii not 40 long they adhere To thor present
and eventually VIII De handed 10 him. Tie crtc
may recognize the nanraness or Gnal resort for Iudg
ment TO the factor for whose sake art s but he not
bound TO admit It's unfang rgieOusuess. He has The
double duty OF determining whether the appeal s taken
favored tribunal Is worthy to tIy the appeal people
that showa willingness To accept low ideals cannot
influence OF their applause Il thousand-fod In
jurons 10 art than tho structures Of the most acr critic.
ana make II the basis OF some OF ms iuosl fOrcibn
aphorisms: 81 he most difficult thing IN the world
endure Is the applause OF fools " =" 1t pleased, IL
cid not please say The people, az there were no higher
purpose than to please the people,"
The belief prOfessed 10y many muslcians-profcssod,
not really hed-that the public can do no wrong nm
quest0nably grows out Of depreciation OF The critic
rather tha appreciation Of the critical Of
the This depreciation. perhaps, IL due
Of the critic (which only often
deserving Of condcmnaton than denial "f the good
Offices OF criticism This much should he said Tor The
musician, who Is more liable to mscunceptoA aud
poweress against misrcprcsenta ion than any other
artist line should be drawn between mere express
sion OF opinion and real criticism. 1t has beon recOg
nized for ages-you can nnd IL plainly set forth In
Quintii!an aud Ccero-that ia tho long tho publ
are neither bad judges good critics The distinction
suggests thought ahout the material dcrenco In value
between a popular aud critical Jndg gment The former
Is in the nature OF things cOnsdered and focting II
is tho product of momehtary eradication In much
greater degree than audg purporting to be based
principle and precedent sucE that vi good critic
apt ~ be- II Il Judgment swayed by that variable
thing called fashion.
The nrst Office OF the critic shond be to guide public
judg nent not 10 Instruct the musician II this were but
bDrno In mind by the writer's for tho press mig 1T help
10 soften the asperity felt by tho musician toward the
first 0foe toward tue critic, which 10 to hola ~ Ills