The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-20
FAMOUS COMPOSERS.

let company's magnificent serial work.
Famous Composers" are now issued,
leaving only five more parts to follow
The present number comprise biogra-
phicaa and critical studies Of Herold. by
Georee p. Upton; Auber. Saint
Saew and Massenet. by Oscar
Comettant; Halevy and Ambroise
Thomas by Benz. E. Woolf: Bizet'
Glinka and Rubinstein by Philip
Hale; Dvorak. by Henry T. Finck,
Chopin by Edward Dannreuther. Gou-
nod by Arthur Pougin and Berlioz by
A, Julien. There IL also most in
structive essay by NJ. Pougin on Music
in France" In the details Of fine book
making. this serial work has thoroughly
sustained Its early promises which were
by no means inconsiderable: Its illus
trations, besides being for the most
part new In design. are faultkssly en-
eraved and printed, and the material,
as well as literary. elegance of the en-
terprise Is such as to cause delight TO
bibliophiles.
The dark, melancholy face of Hector
Rerlidz, alike suggestive of Edwin
Booth and Noah Webster Is never rep
resented to us without reminding us OF
his famous disease. which he aptly
called the sickness Of isolation" His
Is a most conspicuous case Of genius
allied to madness. Never quite under
stood and always something of mad
man. with rapidly alternative hts OF
great gayety and profound depression'
an enthusiast with the extravagances
OF a Don Quixote, zealot In matters OF
artistic faith; an idol-smasher who met
aphorically cracked heads with the
seeming cruelty Of Nero. yet this same
queen Berlioz. II we may believe NJ. JUL
lientsy sysympathetic sketch, was at heart
the most affec.ionate Of men, who longed
for comprehe nsion and appreciation.
and literally wore his life out in fret
ting because he was blessed with
neither
We have no mind to follow NJ. Julien
through the details Of Berloz's blogra-
ply. Somehow 1t seems to US that such
details, in the case OF the great COM
posers. are largely shared in common.
Almost without exception they follow
q fashion like this: Born of poor par
ents who discouraged their child's gen.
'u~ eTassNo Nohs III vain ~ ""o a
So"pe'e". .eaSne ai"a neN' w"
oNe' ioer'ei-,Aiueu pa.ioh. t'"nr
posed innumerable short pieces at an
Incredibly early age. Astonished the
prosy msdiocrity of his surroundings
by glimpses Of an incomp'.chensible
power anu 't'eh "s"' "
e"na' UT what no'-'o oss' uei''O.' .I.'
ana s.arVe uhaii such time as d Aihue'
!a.e oeleneu 10 or,ns nono,S. >, re.ysn
t.on' popularity anu wealth.. -.
'ohs are hecessay " auJuS. .N'' - ~,
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INV 'oIo'.'a . .'ons IN W n's
..a"' enor' W auo ~ VIC Nv. az
'ns eApfess,veness Vi .ne vIe"esa ="
oruer u maxi :. "ansia'e tne n"oS'
'erse sentiments mus giving 10 MS
MUSIC stronger Ienei' i,o'e ui'eis
coior. me proois'ous resuI' was ,na'
ne aimost recreateo tne ART ol orches.
traa'on' opened new horizon 10 ~ ana
tnereiore OBSERVES the ti''e vi 'he
French beethoVenS
ii.
Ore or the best written and yet Withal
one OF the least satisfactory biogra-
phies In this entire series Is Mr. Dlnn-
reuther's sketch OF CHOPIN. We do not
lay the blame Tor this on the author
OF the sketch, who has within his mar
row limits. compacted much valuable
and interesting biographical material
The faul. Is rather with Chopin him
SELF, for having been creature and
lived career not to be made clear
short OF several duodecimo volumes.
and even then full of perplexity. incon-
eistency. capriciousness and mystery.
Mr Dannreuther has tried valiantly to
tame his hero down to the proportions
OF rational biped; but we canrof siy
mat ne mas succeeded. Chopin must
remain, to the great majority OF read
ers. fantastic. abnormal being. full
OF complexities Of character and habits.
an individuality as marked In its way.
although happily in different way. as
Is Du Mauriers imaginary Polish vir-