New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-01
MUSIC.
SOME AMERICAN COMPOSITIONS.


positions under the auspices Of the National Cuser
vatory Of Music last Friday night was. in sense.
one OF the fruits Of Dr. DvoraAs coming to America
1t was to sgnshze his assumption Of the director
ship Of the Institution that the competition was estab-
lishcd, and 1t doubtless due in great measure
to bis zeal and integrity Of purpose that it was carried
out on something like the lines originally laid down.
Circumsta nces quite beyond his control have pre-
vented the influence Of his and labor In New
York from being ns widespread and beneficial as had
been hoped A plan much spoken Of immediately
after his engagement contemplated an artistic tour
which, he to make through the country for the
purpose Of directing his own music and conveying to
music students a sense Of the advantage which HIS
presenco In New York Offered to wouldbe composers.
The plan seems to have been abandoned probably be-
cause Of tho great sacrifice Of money which II would
have entailed In his way. however the distinguished
composer has been laboring sedulously and whole
heortedy for the promotion Of the cause which he
espoused when he became q resident Of NewYork.
The suspicion that he would be content 70 act as
a mere hgurehead has not been confirmed. AS a
and artist DR.. Dvorak Is intensely in
earnest. He is believer In the possibilities OF an
American school Of composers. and from the moment
Of his arrival among us till now he has bont oil his
energies toward a realization Of his belief lie has
been teacher in fact well rs In name. and though
he may have been disappointed in some features Of
his work. ,he does not to have permitted that
fact TO destroy his confidence lessen his ZEAL He
Is a Nationalist In music and. told. has taken
. great interesf>in every American manifestation OF
those elements which at the base of National
music In the modern sense lie has listened with more
than curiosity TO all the slave songs from the South
which he has had chance TO hear. and has Indus
triously studied the things which Will make for In.
dividuanty and original cxpressveness In the CON-
posers who are to grow up under distnctvcy American
influences hereafter. In this Dr. Dvorak Is working
lSe American patriot rather than like foreigner,
and being himself product Of racial and national
uhi
he has adopted.
The legitimate consequence Of his presence IN New
York ought to be TO gather around him coterie OF
youthful composers who might profit by his crucfsm
OF their compositions. If there were prospect OF MS
stay among being long this would probably happen
for his achievements have won the adm'rauoh OF
the musical world. and no composer would hesitate 10
enlist the helm OF O master who un'tcs With ndelNy
10 the laws OF beauty admiration for traits character
istto Of people All would feel that there would
be no restriction Of individual expression In MS
cancellations and corrections Of their compositions
Up to the present time. however. this mas not nap
pened TO any noteworthy extent. The causes w7h'cn
we imagine 10 lie at the bottom of the chariness OF
our Young composers to avail themselves OF his help
outside OF those patent to all tsuch as the necessity
of earning livelihood by organ playing or teach
ing we do not choose TO discuss for we cannot sec
that discussion would help In the premises To con-
template the results produc ID by his coming. Through
the agency OF the competition for prizes may be more
useful.
That there are serious objections which may be
urged against efforts to stimulate artistic promotion
by means Of prizes all the world knows Inc rule
Is that little that is good and enduring comes out OF
such competitions. But there occasions which
Justify such means. Except Of light md ephenera'
pianoforte pieces secular ballads and church compo-
sit.ons there Is extremely little music BY native COM
posers published in this country We Lave OF late
years developed considerable zeal and Industry IN the
higher and larger forms, and 1t Is this circumstance
more than arg other that bids us hope for the time
when the United States viii take her place In the
front rank OF artistic countries she has done IN
political and commercial. WhA has been done now.
ever has been done largely without hope Of reward
and out OF devotion to art symphonies chnmoer
music and oratorios have been composed because the
authors wished try their wings In the higher eher'
not because they expected 10 profit materially from
their products. competition Hike that over which
DIR. DvOrak has Just presided offers two''om en-.
coura cement to native composers first, reward
for their labors in money second, an opportunity I"
have their works performed. From knowledge Of tho
capacity OF the leading spirits in the rising Young
American school VIC inclined TO thint that the
restriction Of the late composition to composers "no"r
thirty-fve ycnrs Of age was nnwisc Had I'VE years
more been adicd the standard which would nave
been disclosed by the successful works would have
been higher. for the lists would then have
been open to men OF wider experience than the major
ity OF those who figured in This contest. The vane
of experience was most strEingly demonstrated on
Friday night I'm tie difference between the symphony
concerto and snte and the canato whlc! closed the
concert. Mr. Horatio W. Parker the composer OF Inc
cantata Is no older IN years than his colleagues, bn
he has had wider experience and has acquired more
extended practical knowledge Of the art and It's fac
tors. Consequently the concert took on n wholly
different aspect he started the orchestra
IN the Introduction TO his work. The musicians
played With more sincerity OF purpose, and the mnsc
moved on resolutey and confidently where IT had
hitherto sounded timd, experimental and advcnuons
It may be urged that the elder mel have established
themselves in public recognition and that the en-
couragcment due TO younger men In greater need
Of IL; but we opine that with so ambitious scheme
n that OF the National Conservatory 1t wOald have
been wiser had the plans been so laid that The com
petition would have disclosed The very best That
America Ii able to produce In the dignihed forms OK
music. A narrowing OF the scheme might lave been
judiciously accomplished later Concerning the sue
cessftl men 1t Is worthy OF note that three Oh the
four were natives Of New England and the descendants
OF New-England ancestry. Mr. D0rat'o W. Parker was
born in Auburndale, Mass, On september 10. 1859,
and his ancestors on both sides ior
over 600 years have boon Americans. HIS first
musical studies directed by his mother; he then
studied with stephen Emery and q. ". Chadwick. aud
finished his schooling under Rhenberecr In Munich.
His numbered works have already reached thirty FOUR
and among them a symphony which had per-
formance In Munich several Overurcs and cnntafas
and AT oratoic. Hora Novissma recently published
by NOvello, Ever d Co.. which we are inclined 10
place. simply from examination, among the finest
compositions yet brought forth In America Al
Munich Mr. Parker had as felow-s;udents Mr.. Henry
Holden Huss Of this city, and Arthnr Whiting, OF
Boston, and last Fridays experiences must haxe re-
minded him OF the fact that when what may be
called his graduation thesis was performed at Con-
servatory concert In Munich his associates on 'he
programme all Americans-Mr IIuss, Mr.. WHIT
ing and another. Mr.. Joshua PhIppcn Is native
OF saiem. Mass, and unlike his associate aurentes oil
last Frfduy has an entirely domestic education In
composition, indeed. he Is his own teacher Harmony
and counterpart he studied with Mr.. G. l.. Capen,
teacher and critic OF Boston, and ptanO'orte playing
with Joseph Keller and b. J. Lang. lie has Just