The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
THE FRENCH PROGRAMME.
An Interesting Story OF the "Flight
Into Egypt"

An Interesting story OF the "Flight
Into Egypt"
French programme in itself must
necessarily be of interest. The different
branches of art and literature have shown
such marvellous development that it is no
doubt very interesting to review the same
features in the musical sphere We have
heard of the ultra modern in literature,
the impressionist in painting, the modern
drama, and so forth. Surely music did not
stay behind and it seems to me that one
good way to watch it's progress is to listen
to the modern French music.
Were it not for Nine. Calve such a
French programme would have looked
somewhat different, but we must not for
get that last night was, after ALL popu-
lar night, more for amusement than for
musical appreciation. A singer who re-
ceives $4,000 American money for singing
two French songs surely furnishes an in
teresting illustration of the interna tiOnality
of art and money. But such are the pants
ct circenses of late Rome. The people want
it and consequently get it.
In the presence of a great audience the
final concert of this years May festival
took place yesterday evening. Mr.. Van der
Stucken began a little before the time an
nounced and consequently many hearers
were obliged to stand without seats until
the close of the first number, when perfect
stream poured into the hall
The Flight into Egypt failed to make
much impression on me- 1t seems as if
Berloz's forte lay in the rich, luxuriant
scoring for full orchestra, for instance in
the Hungarian March which, by the way
was gloriousiy played The public APP
nj n a enthusiasts
The Flight into Egypt however, is
really bit monotonous. The chorus made
everything out of the work that could be
expected and deserves corresponding recog-
milton.
By special request the ballet music of
Massenet played the previous afternoon,
was added to the programme
BerlioZ was the first of new romanticists,
a man who eXerted the same influence in
romantic music that Byron did in poetry.
more interesting and impressive than that
of Hector BeriioZ. He stands a colossus in
music-feW admirers and fewer followers.
Original. fiercely dOgmatic and intolerant,
his influence has impressed itself pro-
foundly on the musical world. 1t is safe
to assert that no art or philosophy can
boast of an example of more perfect devo-
ton to an ideal. The startling originality
of Berlioz rests on mental and emotional
that of any other. He possessed a gorgeous
imagination and at times became heated
to the verge of madness. keen analytical
mind a most arrogant will and passion of
such heat and fervor that they rarely
failed when aroused to carry him beyond
all bounds of susceptible reason.
STORY OF THE COMPOSITION.
His Flight into Egypt bears this little
note in it's title page: Attributed to
Pierre Ducre, an imaginary chapel mas
ter" In a letter to Mr.. Ella, the director
of the London Musical Union, the master
at Of ,;cr;,,
Il was one evening at the house of NJ. LIE
Baron de NJ, an intelligent and sincere
friend OF the arts, with one of my fellow
students at the academy in Rome the
learned Architect Due. The whole com
pany were playing either ecarte or whist
or bretan, except myself. l abhor cards.
BY patience and after thirty years of ct
fort l have succeeded in knowing not a sin
gle game of this sort, so as never to be
liable to apprehension by habeas corpus
when any players are in want of a partner.
So 1 was rather evidently boring myself,
when Due turned TO me and said: AS you
are not doing anything, you ought to write
piece of music for my album
" Willingly.
II take a scrap of paper, draw some
slaves upon it, which / soon jot down
an andantino in four parts for the organ.
| think that l find certain character of
IL,
fancy takes me TO write some words of
the same sort to it. The organ piece dis
appears and becomes the chorus of the
shepherds of Bethlehem. bidding the in
FAINT Jesus farewell, at the departure of the
holy family for Egypt. The games of
whist and bretan are interrupted to hear.
the sacred fable. The medieval cut of my
verses is as much commented upon as that
of my music.
Now, 1 say to Due L am going to put
your name to it. l want to compromise
you.
. What an idea, My friends know well
enough that l don't know the first thing
about composition
THAT is pretty reason, truly, for not
composing But your vanity refuses TO
make up a name, of which yours shall be
a part. 1t shall be Pierre Ducre, whom |
make music master in the Sainte-Chapelle,
in Paris, in the seventeenth century. That
Will give my manuscript all the value of an
archaeological curiosity.
$50 il was done. But l was in the vein
for playing the Chatterton. Some days af-
forwards | wrote the rest of the
holy family at home, beginning this
time with the words. and a
in little innocent style, in f sharp minor
without any leading note, mode which is
no longer in fashion, which resembles the
plain chant and which the learned will tell
you is derived from some Phrygian or Do
rian or Lydian mode of ancient Greece az
If that had anything to do with il, but
which evidently has the melancholy and
| rather simple character of the old popular
religious songs. A month later. when / no
longer thought of my score a chorus hap
concert that was to conduct. IT struck me
as a good joke to put that OF the shepherds
| In my Mystery in it's place. leaving it under
the name Of Pierre Ducrl, music master