New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-16
MUSICAL COMMENT.
CHOPIN REsCORED - OPERA STATISTICAL
HALL FOR CHORAL MUSIC.

HALL FOR CHORAL MUSIC.
A letter 10 The Trbune,s music reviewer received
during tho heat of the season, laid away then ror
future attention, and overlooked I'LL now, asks some
quos tons and interestingly expresses an ophoh o'
Tausigs arrangement Il disarrangement says 'ae
writer Of Chopn's f minor concerto. Il make ooio
TO ssys the writer continues, that with the exoep
ton Of the fuller accompaniment which, Is thoy ~ouiu
say in French smell their wagner mile on ne mas
not added a single Improvement indeed 10 my o'oer
srprise has simplfcd passages like the "n ID une
left hand at tho end OF the first movement. "ncn
Rosenthar plays so marvellousiy' ana when lSus's
has calmly turned to the double passes ana
,c.,,os After all who ever wrote for the piano hke
Chopin. 1t seems TO a creator Dissertation 10
tanner with bis work than II would be to arrange
Beethoven"
Moth M Cbopin's conceros have been rewritten. tho
first BY Tsusig, the second by Knndworth. There Is
great deal Of difference in the methods followed by
the scorers but ssenally the aesthetic question
Ga raised BY their work. We have come to accept
new or additional accomplishments to the works OF
Bach and Handel without protest so long as theS are
not wrtten a spirit palpaoly ipcongruous with that
of the old masters. The need OF flung out obvious
blanks left by those masters, and Of supplying sub.
sttutss for obsolete instruments. has compelled this
acceptance But this cannot be urged In oeha OF no
resrran gements OF Chopins works Here all that can
be sad is that the orchesraton so meagre ana Color
isss 10 far behind the panoore part In beauty tha'
K1iDdwOrth
tovs for the composer have tried To create oeuer
balance between the solo instrument and the oand
10 do this they have been obgedor they thought they
wore Obliged, which is much the Same thing-to cnans
thu colo part in places Hero is where the dincu'y
Ites It is admitted that Chopn's musical Language
vas peculiarly that Of the pianoforte; ana un.n
another can command equally dainty grscciui
and xuriant mode OF expression. can In fac'' ohc'
completely into Chopins spirit and display an equay
eonsummate knowledge of tho means oy ~hi0n 'no
effects which his characteristic ana almost CA
elusive property attained, It would seem tha' no
ons should have the hardihood tsmper with his writ
ings for the pianoforte That Chopin did not DISCLOSE
sny special ability writer for the orchestra Is Uuc
that his pianoforte always predominates 10 inc IN
fury of the broad idea Of concerto as we nave IN
beethoven, equally true; that most interesting esuis
have been attained by the efforts OF klndworth ana
r.usie to add dignity beauty and symmetry to tho
concertos, is also true But suppose the essence OF
chopinsm lies In this unequal relaonshlp-what tneh'
10 It better take hts music as he n'ended u hau
10 burden II with polished brass ornaments Vi "hoeo
glitter 1t may be said that
F.lse glare attracts but more offends the eye"
Tho results of Tausgs labors splenddly sonorous
md he has unQuesonably added TO the stature CT inc
E,minor concerto; but his orchestra IS even less
chopinesque than Kndworth's. More than that. 1t
does not even belong tho Chopin PERIOD recent as
that IS.
It 10 moro than anything else q question OF taste
ihat Il involved In this matter, and. as so often
happens; Individual Hkings rather than artistic prin
eples viii probably carry the day Thibaut ana thoSe
Who came after him and Joined him in his condemnation
Of the tonecolor added by Mozart to The People that
Walked IN Darkness correct In their contention.
out for all that. who would expunge the transporngy
lovely wood wind parts IN that afr Of The Messiah
TO crafty o conviction that theoretically they are OUT
Of keeping with the sentiment Of the text? NO one
They too deeply fixed in the affections to allow
that, and It is much agreeable TO imagine
hrfn about
ton. Ono difficulty In the Of Chopin's conceros
vii always be met. 1t will, perhaps, never
Dc possible to unite those who speak
with authority In opinion as to tho value OF the
new arrangements. or the need OF them. Eight ana
half year, ago, when Mr.. Josefy first brought Kind
worths version OF the second concerto to the nouce
Of the New-York public. Mr. Thomas who conducted
the orchestra, said 10 the writer that It was his con
viction that adequate ochestras especially In the
strings, and adequate performances would go great
way toward reconcillng pansts with tho Chopin
ycores. Dr. Buelow. when asked about the Tausig
arrangement . few weeks ago, said briefly: I" II We
Ire TO have new versions prefer Knndworths
Pressed to give q reason, he said: why should we
have trombones In the accompaniment? Beethoven got
along without them-hornS suflced him for filing
voices-apd does Brahms; which. as It was put
was no reason at all. Even the pianists are not
agreed have heard Richard Hoffman contend that
some Of the effects added for tho sake Of briancy by
players who still use the original version are mere
claptssp. and in fact simplifcauons.
From statement contained in advance sheets OF
Mr. Krehbiels "Revinw of the New-York Musical
Season." learn interesting details concerning
tho last season OF German opera. The total receipts
from the public s2l3,03o 90: from the stock
holders, Sool ,l8o from rentals, S57,02s The per-
formances $3.50. 731 81 taxes and interest, s70
642 o. salaries, wages fuel law, etc. s460d5; other
items enough 10 bring the total expenditures up 10
CATS 1s7 ~. Among The items OF the expense ac
thea Tran ,Irfa All
robe and properties, $3.50 81; stage hands, Slo'
TIA GO; supers, 60 54O; chorus, $262o5; orchestra
1920; artists, Sl35 498 80 ballet. Si7 ,669 adver
Using, So 7s1 10 royalties, 1876 SO; wigs, Sl,.7o
Dr. e Cutter writes urging that influence DO
brought to bear those who are to have the con-
str,ction of the new Music Hall in hand ." to have
the requirements OF antphonal music not overlooked"
This Il an excellent suggestion whose pertinenay is
sccentuated by a recoecto Of the absence OF anti
phony ct the performance OF GrelPs mass By the
Cratorio society-a defect which was commented on
BY The Tribune at tho time. Mr. Carnegies hbersiity'
~ seems from the circumstances Of the case and the
xtatementp OF Mr. Walter Damrosch, Is to be utilized
to provide q hall for tho latter and the oratoro no.
ciety This simplfes the matter. II Is to DO hoped
that The stage Of the hall will be built so that
GOOD results can be obtained in andphonal music by
4 ppepsr division Of the choir.