Morning journal and courier., 1886-02-18
Thursday, February IS, 1886.
The Musical Demands of Modern

Times.
 Mir. M Steinert, of this city, is the author of the following article which appeared in the latest issue of the New York Musical Items and has stirred up considerable com ment both favorable and adverse among readers of that periodical, and which the editor of that journal, lady, does not agree with:
 On examination of the present condition of the fine arts, we find that they are not sub jected to the changes of fashion and that those works that were considered beautiful by their creators, and acknowledged as such by the world at large, have remained an au- thority for their kind for all time. This is especially true of the oldest of the fine arts, architecture The ancient styles, such. as the Gothic or Roman, the Italian and German and the works of those periods are to- day regarded as the most perfect produc- tions. In sculpture, we meet with the works of the old Greeks in the highest state of per lection in all the museums of the world. In painting, we find the works of those old masters, Durer. Rubens, Van Dyke, Raphael and others occupying the highest ranks. In poetry, the works of Shakespeare, Milton, Dante, Schiller and Goethe adequately prove that the course of time has not been able to hurl them from their elevated positions.
 This, however, cannot be said of the fine art or music. Tn COnneCLlOn Wltn music the expression is often heard, "This music is too old fashioned" and the remark applies chiefly to the symphonies of Haydn and Mo zart and to the less popular operas of the last named composer. The question then suggests itself, why is it that such works, or even Beethovens Fidelio, can be called old fashioned or quasi tiresome? The melodies of these masters so orig inal and beautiful that they never fail to gain the applause of the critical musician, and their effect is such that even their repe- tition never tires the most musical ear. Art is based on truth, and truth can never be subservient to fashion. These charming mel odies emanated from the hearts of the great composers and were clad in the simple gar ments of their times. The resources of the orchestras of those times were not sufficiently ample to set these dia- monds in the rich settings common to mod cru times. Science has contributed greatly to produce from the various instruments eff fects that were not known in former times, and these effects are furthermore enhanced by the great virtuosity of the players; and it is because the compositions referred to are deficient in these modern effects that they appear to many as old-fashioned and tire some.
 Here, then, new field is opened for the true disciple of art, namely to invest these compositions with the raiment of modern times. to embellish them with the existing resources of the orchestra. Provided with such rich coloring, the simple symphonies of Haydn and Mozart would produce a hith erto unheard of impression on the musical ear on account of their origi- nality, their deep thought, their wealth of melodious and harmonic pas sages and their rhythm, through which they delight the ear. Mozart's operas super abounding as they do with original melodies also coHtain ample dramatic force to place them on level with Wagner's operas, if they were only clothed in modern garb.
 Our thanks are due to Robert Franz for beautifyiAg the works of Bach, to Mozart for the instrumentation of the Messiah, and to Wagner for his efforts in regard to the works of Gluck and Beethoven.
 A still ampler field is open to the instru mentalist in arranging Beethoven's Scnatas for the orchestra, for, when every key of the piano becomes a living instrument, then will these sonatas be moulded into colossal symphonies. Many good musicians may ob ject to such an undertaking and call it sacri- lege to meddle with the works of these great composers. However, their objections be easily overcome, as they are fully answered, by the assertion that the piano and violin of the old masters have been revised by modern virtuosi and that already much benefit has been derived from this course. The excellence of the compositions of the old classical period has been fully demonstrated by the orchestration of Bachs Toccatas, Preludiums and Fugues. The grandeur of these works, embellished by modern orehestration, entitle them to fore most place on the programmes of the most artistic concerts, and it must be admitted that their effect is equal in brilliancy to that of the works of the most celebrated modern masters.