New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-03
BOOKS ON MUSIC.

Real thinkers are not so numerous IN the ranks
1ftmusio teachers that book like julius klauser
"The Septouate and the Capitalization OF The
Tonal system" milwaukee: William Rohlllng ~
Sons. can be passed over with anything snort
of an encomium, even though the theory which
itelucidates may not be unqualifodly commended
Mr. Kauser, of whose personality we know moth
ing except that he is worthy son of worthy
father Karl Klauser. of Pennington, Conn, one
of the Nestors among Americas musical peda-
aogues), and that he lives in the Northwest Ike
MANY another earnest teacher is dissatisfied with
the modern system of music, which places the
scale at the foundation of theory. He seems to
think that it is too complex to he easily grasped
by the youthful mind and wishes to substitute
tor it what he calls the Septonate," which is
sequence of the seven notes of the scale with the
keynote or tonic in the middle instead OF OF the
bottom, thus in the key of c.;
G. h c. d -eF.
BY building on this foundation Mr.. Klauser
substitutes scalehalf for a SCALE thus recalling
in manner the tetrachord of the ancient Greeks
In celebrating his system he lays great stress on
keyrelationship treating each tone as distinct and
deriving its significance from the central tone
1.-THE tonic, or key-centre), and abolishing inver-
sions and changed chords. Many changed ideas
flow from'this conception. which is, of course not
new, hut which, we believe, has never before
been elaborated as thoroughly and consistently
Mr.. Klauser has elaborated his system. Whether
his fundamental contention is correct we dO not
feeled called upon to decide, but we must he per
mitted 10 question whether his new nomenclature
ingenious it is, is really in the line of the SIM
plcity which he professedly aims to promote.
What is thoroughly admirable about his book is
its valiant striving TO find a scientific ground for
all things and to free music-teachng from
rYni o,1 nho-lN L.
predatory chapter is a mastery criticism of the
grievous defects of conventional study forcby, if
not elegantly! put. To teach music is his pr-
mary aim, toward which panofortc playing and
singing are only helps He wishes students TO
become musical in fact, not merely in affectation
If his desires could be realized the musical elias
sizes would find a place the book-shelvcs Of
the people and be read and enjoyed in like manner
though, perhaps, not in the same degree THAT still
calling for an exercise of e-percepton as the
literary classics.
Two books with similar aims come to us almost
simultaneously, one from Boston one from London
They are The Theory of Music" by Louis c.
Elson Boston: New-Engand Conservatory of
Music. and Musical Groundwork" by Frederick
j. CrOwest london and Newly orll Frederick
Warne & Co.. In an extremely lucid, easy and
unaffected manner Mr.. Elson puts down mile
science of music Unlike his English colleague.
he does not strain his writing. yet he manages
TO pack his sentence full of information, which
is more correct, besides, than that which comes
from over the water. We like Mr.. Elson's book
and though it is designed for teachers. amateurs
who are unwilling simply TO daily with the cX-
ternals of the art, and would like to know
thing Of the scientific side of music. will find il
10 be an admirable help. Mr. Crowest traverses
much OF Mr.. Elson's ground, and has besides
n chapter on harmony, which might proftably
have been included in the Boston teachers book,
but the evidences of labored compilation are
somewhat prominent in the literary style of the
book, as they also are in his biography of Cheru-
bini. which has Just been issued in THE Great
Musicians" series (New-York Scribner and Wei
ford. A perusal of this book awakens anew
the regret that Or. Hueffer is dead. While he
was editing the "Grcat Musicians book like
this of Mr.. Crowests, mere mess Of bad Eng
lish encyclopaedia facts and meaningless general
izations. would never have appeared with the
sanction Of the editor.
Mr. G. Schirmer has published the fifth edition
of Gustav Kobbe's analytical essays on Wagners
airing of the Nibelung" ard sweled them 10 two
volumes with the extremely significant and in
viting title "WaGner's Life and Works lie
has done this ny binding up with them blograph-
ical sketch or wagner, some dTllcIcS on Ip"Il,
on Waqners writings and critics. and on the
other operas and lyric dramas of the Wagncrian
list. The popular interest in Wagner's music was
never so great in America it is now, fact that
is attesed by the crowds which flock 70 the Metro
politan Opera House whenever any Of that music
is performed, and by the large sales which Mr..
Hobbies pamphlets have found. In their new
dress they are much handsomcr than they were
in the DID, and, though we have little respect for
handbooks which catalogue the phrases in the
Wagnerian dramas and seek dTyly to expose the
structure of the organism instead Of eXpounding
the reasons which govern the choice Of phrases
and their treatment Mr. Hobbies books must be
said TO supply want. We wish. however. that
he had got in later information than that in
Groves dictionary concerning the lattcr-day
history Of Wagner's youthful operas. and
that he would learn that Morold was not
liking Of Ireland" but the afianced husband OF
Isolde daughter Of Tie King of Ireland
Recent publications that do not invite discus
sion, yet deserve cOmmendatOry mention are DR.
Reinecke's most admirable "Aphorisms on the Art
of Song Accompaniment (Gebruedcr Rcncc{c,
Leipsic the Index TO Groves Dictionary Of
Music and Musicians" compiled by Mrs. Edmond
r. Wodehouse Nondon and New-YOrk: Macmillan
4 Coz, THE Metropolitan Church and Choir
Directory Of Ncw-YorS. Brooklyn and Adjacent
Cities CNew-York; Metropolitan Printing and
Publishing Company, and No of The Frank
lin Square Song Collection (New-York: Harper