New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
RECENT BOOKS on MUSIC.

q e.:jrmer Union square. New-lorO has pub
lished for Alcihea Il. Crawford and Alice Ch"ph a
hook entitled Letters from Great Musicians 10
Young People" This title says nothing ou' "ha'
l. misleading The book j. Il move! attcmp' III
biography The nfc.stoics Of ten composers are told
In the shape OF fictitious auto3iosraphical letters
brought down TO the comprehension OF the young.
Some NAV think the plan ingenious. but IL were Il
pi,y II any OF the books readers should permit l,
to mould their conception OF the inteilec'u'u anu
moral characters OF the composers t. whom the oooA
4 devo,ed To think OF mon like Pslc,trna. Bach
and Beethoven uttcring such conccied and bomOa'uc
commonplace about themselves ana their woiha "s
are nut into their mouths here Is pcrforcc 10 lose
all respect for them. In fact. the book reminds Us
forcibly OF the printed communications rom 'hc
Great Ones OF the past sent from Tie Spir' ""'I'
To edify the faithful The letters" OF the musicians
show the same symptoms OF pares'S as 'ne m,ss"se
which Shakespeare and Others vouchsaied through
Superintendent Riddle.
Mr. j. F. Rowbotham. an English writer on musical
topics has attempted different style Of biographical
writing in his Private Life Of the Great Composers
but one which is sufficiently dignfed when placed on
the level with the pap for infants provided by the
authors Of the Letters etc Mr.. Rowbothams BOOK
is published by Thomas Whitaker Oible House New
York; and outwardy Is quite an Impressive voiume'
II has q commendabe feature. moreover, III list OF
principal works with dates which Is appended TO each
10 construct his Biographical sketches out OF me
.necdotal disjccta membra to be found scattered
through musical literature. and then TO complete the
work In the conventional manner Inc quarry Oh
unity IS Of course sacrificed In this procedure but Mr.
Rovbo,ham Is as careless Of the graces OF style as he
is Indifferent occasionally to the obligation OF honesty
or let us saw the virtue OF knowledge. of course
there is much In his sketches which cannot De
,oker seriously All the incidents which gossip has
nreserved whether authentic or apocryphaI ar"
grouped together with the idea that In inns mah-
ner n true picture Of the man Is gwen
The result is the very reverse. The unusual Is
DEGRADED 10 the level of the usual and It's Significance
wholly DESTROYED Besides. history is fashed care
fuI readers will colate the incidents and discern all
sorts Of incongruites In the recital. The method
HIGHLY commendabe in fiction, Is rcprehenslbIc III
biography Mr. Rowbotham distinguished himself Oy
an attack on Wagner five years ago WINCH Drought
down upon him the deserved ridicue oil EngliNh nu
sicians He has learned neither good manners nor
wisdom since His sketch Of Wagner In this book
brs,,os with blunders lie cannot tell the story OF
a Wacneran drama correctly. and obviously KNOWS
nothing about the German language The spirit Vi
bis criticism Is contemplate, but 1t Is excused py
the writer's ignorance.
Mr. Louis c. Elson, to whose facile and engaging
non we have often been called upon TO pay tribute
has published n collection OF snort she'chcs anu
ESSAYS under the title, THE Realm OF Music 'nos
ton The New England Conservatory OF Mnsc) lhere
are plentiful evidences in the 3l4 pages OF he doom
that much Of II is merely the product OF between
times labor but tire author never fails to Drhs ou'
some interesting curious fact In connection WIN
his subject and read his book Is to get an epome
OF a wider range OF reading than Is possible 10 any
one except enthusiastic student WHO reaoS Win d
purpose.
A work whose scientific nature alone WI inteT r
with its popularity Is Sound and Music by me KEY
]. A. Zafm G. s. c.. published by A. C. McCiur ~
Co.. Chicago The Rev Nj. Ahm l. proirs s,no 81
physics i'm the University Of Notre Dame unuiaha,
and the book is made up # his lectures delivered IN vi
nj The Catholic University Of America IN washington,
n covers i'm an admirably clear and conpre'eh>lNe
manner the whole theory OF acoustics, 50 iar as II
enters into music. After the labors OF lelhhol anu
Voenip n is scarcely to he expected that writer III
this neld shall be original in ANYTHING else thah hs
presentation. But il Is cOmmendabc ihlE t. A'ni
e. dascnlt subject as entertaningy rs the He': Mr.
Zahm has done and his book is valuable Tor Its Illus
fratIons OF the ingenious Instruments WEch nave ,'
Invented TO demonstrate the ature OF mrslcM SOUND