New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-09
BOOKS On MUSIC.
CHOPIN AND CRITICISM.

FROM THE o s the German by by
Helen d. Tretbar. Large $40. PIP. o3'. New
York: Charles F. Tretbar.
STUDIES IN MODERN MUSIC; by W. H.. Hadow
NJ ~ Large sv0' pp' 1884, NeV-SOrh; M"'Hn'""
The author of the new 1--WE dare not say latest
biography Of Chopin anticipates in his preface the
objection that the bulk of the literature relat-
ing to his subject Is already so large as 10
make it's increase unnecessary. OF course he Ill
reefs attention to the fact for the sake OF ex-
planning that his book is in a wholly exceptional
case With all the plethora there is still want:
and that want he CALAMITY essays to NIL. IL is
true, as Mr. Willeby says, that great part
Of what has been written about Chopin Is hlshiy
colored, overdrawn and untrustworthy' ~ IS
also true Though the circumstance is OF 1ar
less moment than Mr.. Wileby seems 10 thinNJ
that some of the facts in Chopins career nave
be.n truthfully related only in the last Jour
y.ers II this is enough to justify new
.ioo,, +ben Mr.. Willeby has made out his case 70
far as the privilege of publishing Is cohcerneu'
Hut where there is already too much II Is d'nser-
one IN add more it is doubly dangerous WIZ"
the subject is not Of prcemincnt Importance VI
when. though never important, IL mus Voc"
thoroughly and ably grounded: ms
the case with Chopin. Professor NiccAse wv
volumes. published few years ago haNe 10y
one fault-they are too large Tor tnelr su ;'I1,,
Chopin Is o striking figure in the arus'io "o
o, tho nineteenth century; but he Is hc,'n,' -
vast nor vague figure. In oes'ce 49, ,ras
absolutely unique In the annals % ~'' ..str;cted
n,odnct OF his environm res'li0''N
~, conditions which have never oeen
,o.,.a unon as inspirations OF se~
.,,nr. however cumulative they may oe W
t.a,,,6u,lStv and refinement. In 10 se"Se
was h. q seer, "calNng the .nihss Wv" ~,
az. not q. though they WERE In MS "o'N' "
.xor,s,te beauty may be seen the opera''N's
N. most refined, subtle. sublimated fancy D"'
r,. the broodings Of o deep and solemn iih'''i
60 In snite Of all that rhapsodists nave saw "a,
they are not difficult Of COMPREHENSIVE
or;,,csI p,ummet can sound their depth IN any
r,ace. and has often done So in.'
counterpart of their crcator-at once INC ,"'p
t,on and product Of the drawins-roon' i"'S D
brilliant In structure but more oriiiia"' ~ .,
ment They are aristocrauc WIN ..:..
century arstocracy, when requnee .ho
=. S;sc,os. itself. They breathe the ohor OF 'he
80. hut a. is the violet of the boutonnieie VI
A.. r.r,rmerv bottle They are unimaglnaoie II.
~. attic where genius sometimes pusies i'1.'i
,.,,tb the mystery Of tho struggle pe'~eeh INV
human and the divine which is carried Oh III ~.
heart Of humanity. They are unlmaslnaoie IA. w
-'ood. q, nm the meadows, or on the sea, or Oh
.H. roorr+ains. Their twilight is the twlignt Oh
the shaded salon lamp. Their noonuaS '''Ne
&c the carish light Of the ballroom
Chopin. moreover these things mny oe Us
reriodicalk). performed great LABOR III Pei,eO'
IN, nianoforte technic when pianoior'e 'o"i,'o
was engaging a large share OF aWen.'o"
,ous;cal world. 1t was the time of the cuimina-
music .or,od ~ "virtuosty,' which, as the
,ror,d knows. marks the beginning OF perlod o.
..oo+y,,o dcoadence He discovered secrets IN inc
..or;n,Iation of the instrument when causeu /.
,.;o,d .ensnous charms which tmtherto I'u
hoen known In this he advanced Qhe arV
=, ,Hanoforte composition as well as plano'o''e
n,ovino. for the new tones partooK Oh 'i'e 70
sonco Of tn. romanticism when hah Jus' P''
a.esed music But also in things winch "eio "o,
dependens upon technic he made reNela,'o 1
...iro-not in his neglect Of the classical forms
=. coma would have us believe, not even III M
,u,-ont;on and introduction OF new 1orms' pu' -
A.. r.uness and loveliness Of the contents WIG"
bo nourcd into the formal vessels, esPeciaio WV
emotional expressivencss OF his harmohiee,
7, does not require many volumes OF 0o''''N,
screaming analysis to demonstrate these 'hihgs' "''
Mr. Niecks offered more than was heceSe''! ="
~. volumes As for the story of Chopins life.
It is only in an extremely mario" s''u'. '"''
contemp, alton Of 1t can BIO said to make TOT Goou
a
b;s mental and moral attributes 1t is amazing
how much OF the biographical writing which nc ma.
LID forth is explanation and eXtenuatloh oil
I,s conduct His babtua ingratitude i5 soltcncu
into tboughtlessness even by MT Wliieoy' ""o
c.nceived IL to be- his mission TO cut loo-' non'
oil his predecessors save Niecks and tell te trulN
instead of necessarily to burn incense unuer 'ie
nose OF the idol From the beginning 0hopih
6ckleness in friendship and INCONSISTENCY III io>e
have been excused, and he has been pictured as
n clincing, sensitive creature. whose very ~
is,ence depended on loving and beng loved ih'
image has been accepted by thousands OIL scioo'
children of both sexes and all ages anu ~
oro,vninc enulrence has been seen in the story Of
the intrigue with George Sand The frequency
18th which he changed the object Of his affection
-. Mt been permirted to interfere with tho
.-a,.csndental notion, but has only served Il
.,vo,l tho chorus OF sentimental commiseratioh
w. sbould think that little honest study OF th'
characters OF the two persons concerned, especially
~ the career Of the woman and the a'tituu'
which Chopin was SO willing to bear toward hcr
would alone serve 10 convince every rca''cr o
normal intellect and morals that the vast energy
& which Mr.. Niecks devoted TO discovering IN
cause aud manner OF the final separation wa
worse than wasted. j. is chapter OF pathology
and morals not chapter Of music Inc common
placeness and eobriety which marx all OF Mt
Willeby's writing and rob his discussion o
Chopns music Of nearly all interest are wei
applied here; yet we cannot recognize In nj
book q contribution TO musical literature o
nra-class importance. single essay like tina
devoted TO the same subject in Eblcrts booi
outweiehs the whole critical biography mani
times in sugscstivencss and educational value
Mrs Tetbar published her translation o
Ehlerts critical essays il 1884, the year OF Ut
death The edition before us is the second, and ha
been augmented By essays on Brahms, Wagner
.Parsifal- and List as Littcrateur." Ehler
ras one of the most delightful writers on musi
that Germany has produced-a Gne-fceing mu