The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-06

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MUSICAL MATTERS.

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The lecture given last night by Mr.. Fred
eric Dean at Hasbrouck Hall was the most
thoughtful. best written and most interest
ing Of the course of musical lectures so far
given. There surrounds the career of Fred
eric Chopin, the subject of the sketch, some
thing of the peculiar charm that distinguishes
his music, since both were so deeply tinged
with his morbid personality; and until the
influences of nationality, heredlty and in
~dividuality surrounding his life are under
stood and appreciated, the riddle.of Chopin's
music will be still unread. i.
These influences Mr.. Dean outlined with a
sympathetic hand He spoke of the land of
chivalry and romance, of patriotism and hot
passions, now but a name and a memory
Pofand-where he was born, at Lela-zola-
VIOLA, III 1903, of his precocity in music; his
leave taking, when he was to go to Vienna,
when his friends presented to him, as a parting
gift, a richly chased golden cup, filed to the
brim with Polish earth. 1t never left him in
all his many wanderings, and when he died
its contents were strewn upon his casket, so
that he lay at last at rest in the soil of his
fatherland. It was symbolic OF his charac-
ter; with him, wherever he might be, went
still the spirit of Poland, the spirit of
chivalry, and no less the spirit of revolution
n unrest.
The vexed subject of the influence of Nine.
Dudevant George Sand upon the life OF
Chopin, Mr.. Dean treated in a spirit of ex-
cellent common sense. The lecturer might
have dwelt at greater length upon this most
attractive period in the life of Chopin with
gain to the lecture. The pathetic death scene
of October II, 1s49, in which Chopin, broken
in body and disappointed in his hearts de-
sires, gave his life to his old enemy, con-
sumption, as the Countess Potocka was sing
ing Stradella's "Pieta Signore-"
Mr.. Dean spoke of Chopin's place among
the composers of the world, as that OF one
who, speaking strictly, had no predecessors
and no rivals. He was the composer of the
piano, par excellence. All the grace and
elegance of modern virtuosity come from
him. Yet he treated it from an orchestral
standpoint, developing from a purely me-
chanical instrument long since banished
from the orchestra, the characteristics of
the instruments with which it has been
deemed untitled to associate. Chopin antici-
pated the highest development of modern
piano-making in writing of his chosen instru-
ment. Steinway & Sons had sent Mr..
Becker for the occasion one of the browning
achievements of their art, a concert Grand
that is something near high-water mark in
~piano-making, n Upon an Instrument,
such as Chopin never played, the numbers
were at their best.
1t is now just a year since I heard Mr..
Gustav L.. Becker as a soloist for the first
time, in the Sonata Appassionata at the first
Dean lecture ever given in this city, and
from his work in the Illustrations last night,
/ see no reason to reverse the high praise
accorded him at that time. OF his pro-
gramme, | would put the L~arghetto from
the Fminor concerto, and the G minor Bal
lade, in first place. Mr.. Becker's intelpreta-
ton of the G major nocturne was especially
delicate. The mazurka selected was the hui
morous little affair in B fiat major. The
etudes were Nos 5 and 10, of opus 10; and
the minute waltz was played with Joseffy's
concert arrangement in thirds and sixths.
I heard straight from Joseffy yesterday that
he had made that arrangement SO phenome-
nally hard because he wanted to make sure
no one would ever play it but himself. As a
whole, the programme succeeded in making
palpable the rhythmic unrest OF Chopln's
melodies; the subtle, evanescent quality OF
Chopin's harmonies.
Tomorrow evening, and Sunday next,
January IA, there will be interesting SER
vices at the Bergen Reformed Church, that
selections from MendelsSohn's Oratoria, and
appropriate sermon by the Rev. Dr.. Brett.
The subject of tomorrow evenings service
will be ..Elijah at Mount Carmel or How
long halt We between two opinions" and the
musical selections to be rendered will be
taken from the first part of the Oratorio.
The programme is as follows:-
Anthem, sJubilate in E Flat. ..........s S. Warren
IF with all your hearts"
Gloria Patri in e.. Buck
Aria for Bass, Lord God of Abraham"
Quartette. Cast thy burden"
Alto solo, 'Woe unto Them"
Bass Solo and Quartette.
30 Lord, Thou hast overthrown.'
Organ Postlude.
The music will be rendered by the regular
| choir, under the direction of Mr.. Louis r.
| Dressler, ~organist. The following Sunday
the service will consist of selections from the
| second part of the o~ratorio. This plan
| scarcely needs recommendation: its merits
| speak for themselves.
There will be special music in several of
the churches this month, notably the Bergen
BAPTIST, where the .Cecelia Bradford Trio"
| will play every Sunday evening during Jan
uary. And, speaking of the name Cecilia,
the st. Cecilia Club, otherwise the choir Of
| st. Johns Free Church, held its annual din
ner, last night, the particulars of which are
told in another column.
The Hasbrouck School of Music will give a
musical on January 25. And there will be
concerts in almost every church in town this
month-so nan concerts! M. b. u.
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