Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-12
what MusGec

To the Editor critic Dispatch:
Will yon kindly allow space in your
columns for q few reflections or sugges-
tons called forth by the perusal of your
interesting and discriminating criticisms
of the Thomas concerts on Friday and
Saturday of last week. Surely no one
who paid even ordinary attention to the
music could fail to have been impressed
at least, if not edited and elevated. by
those grand and inspiring strains rs they
issued forth from this perfecty-tralned
body of strings and wind instruments.
And it seems to me that, even though
a person might not be able
always 10 grasp and follow the
subject-mstser or musical contents Of u
composition, the mere sound produced
by a great orchestra, with its glowing
and varied tOne-coloring and lights and
shades, caused by the different and con-
trasted timbre and tone quality Of tho
separate instruments, and those bursts
Of overwhelming powers comparable to
the roaring cataract or the bowling OF
the tempest, might be in itself sufficient
to entrance and hold spell-bound any
one with the least touch Of poetry in
their nature, Just as you might be carried
away by the irresistible force and noble
delivery OF great orator, without being
able always 10 understand all he was
saying.
And yet he who with his magic wand
was able to call forth and control these
varied forces so that they should all
work together into one harmonious and
artistic union is criticised On account Of
the heaviness Of his programmes. Would
you have a grand orchestra gathered to-
gether and trained with great expense
and labor for the purpose of executing
great works of art to descend from its
high aim and Offices and perform selec
tons from the Mikado " or the
Mascot" in order to entertain and
amuse those who are not willing 10 tisten
to music ? I have laid stress on the
work " listen,' for | am satisfied that
one half ut least Of a general audience
90 not listen to the music, they only
hear it. II there were more real listen
ers there would be proportionately less
complaint about "heavy" programmes
What constitutes "heaviness" as APP
piled to music? AS | understand the
term it means such music which cannot
be enjoyed except by an untinng effort
of the mind 10 grasp the meaning OF the
composer. Now musical composition
is either q work OF art or it is not if
worthy the name Of art it cannot have
been produced except by a certain
amount Of intellectual effort on the
part OF the composer, no matter how
much his emotions may have contributed
to its creation and therefore such a
work cannot be enjoyed by the listener,
as music considered apart from its exc
cution, except through the exercise Of |
his mental as well as emotional facul- /
ties, any more than a great work |
either in painting or sculpture, much as
one may stare at it TOR an indefinite /
length of time. And it is not difficult, |
as most people suppose, to recognize /
and follow the leading thoughts Of a |
musical composition, even on first hear /
ing, if person will only fix his whole |
attention on the music at the outset and /
keep away any outward or inward causes /
of distraction, and especially as the ave-
rage duration of any separate number or /
does not exceed ten minutes, |
with sufficient time given between each |
for the necessary relaxations And is I
this great deal to expect from an other /
wise cultivated audience, who can keep /
their attention riveted for one or two |
hours on an interesting lecture without /
any Intermlssion. and many of whom /
can read a book through at one sit /
ting?
The common use OF the term "scien- |
tifc music" has done more towards Gre /
ating prejudice against music Of high /
order than the music itself. Why do I
people not speak Of scientific poetry,
" scientific painting" etc. Can great !
work DO produced in any art unless It's I
creator possesses thorough technical or /
- scientific knowledge of his art But 4
il in musical work the mere science OF .
is the principal thing dis I
plsye such a work would fall below the .
demands Of high art This is not the 4
case IN Beethoyen's Symphonies I. inst, 4
for in these every phrase Is an expression
Of some phase or other of tho masters .
own inner life, and his art is so high /
above what science alone could have ac- +
that willing listener IS
forced to looked beyond this, and is car
ried into more exalted sphere.
FRED. G. HAIR.
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