The record-union., 1897-02-17
GENTL E ART OF CRITICISM.
Even a Musical Worm Will Turn
When Trampled Upon.

The musical critic of this paper is
always delighted TO hear from those
persons who have so little profitable oc-
cupation for their minds that they are
driven to writing letters to newspapers.
He is fully aware that he does not
know everything, but he likes to be told
50. He especially enjoys the receipt of
communications from persons who take
themselves very seriously and who ap
proach him with paternal gravity as
who should say: Child, l will lead
thee lest thou go astray." One of these
fatherly creatures writes to offer siren
uous objection to the French definition
Of opera comique lately quoted in this
journal-"opera in which the music is
interspersed with dialogue and the de-
nouement is happy" The gentleman OBJ
jects to this definition because. as he
puts it, the most celebrate opera
comiqLe ever written, Bizets Carmen
(Which in Paris is never performed at
the Grand Opera) has a most tragic
ending"
1t is true that Carmen is always
performed at the theater known as the
Opera Comique and the inference to be
drawn from the gentleman's paren-
thetic remark is that it cannot be sung
at the Academic Rationale because it is
not a grand opera. The same line of
Idemarkation would make an opera
comiquc Of Massenet's "Esclarmonde, -
which, like Carmen" is the property
of the Opera Comique, and is never per-
formed at the Grand Opera, simply be-
| cause the latter cannot get it. It is
always we'll before setting out to criti-
| else q critic to be sure of your facts.
The same gentleman is so eager for
the salvation OF the musical critic Of
| this paper that he points out To him
faults which he never committed. He
desires to know why the writer gives
the Italian title, "Nella Calma," to
Juliatte's waltz song. instead of the
| French "Je veux vivre." This is a very
proper inquiry. except for one thing;
| The writer Of the musical criticism in
the New York Times" never uses
either title. but always Identifies the
number simply as the waltz song.
| Another kind friend has sent us a
magazine in which there is an explos-
| i've article on the remissaess of the
critics in regard to Nine. Melba's re-
cent failure as Brunnhilde. The one
/ thing that agitates this writer. who
must certainly be a teacher of singing,
! is technical voice analysis" That is,
| indeed, a serious trouble, and one for
which there cannot be any safe cure,
except plentiful applications of the rule
simiha similibus curantur. Here is the
burden of this critics plant:
t "Supposing an editor wanted his mu-
steal critic to analyze the wise use of a
| particular singer from really techni-
cal basis, is there one among all those
who are employed on our great dailies
I who could do 1t? Is there one who can
deal with anything more than the mer-
est generalities? Is there one who can
say what causes produce the voix blanc.
the mezzo voce, or the falsetto; can
any OF them state where a resonant
voice gets that quality (for of course.
omitting the exploded Idea of resonat-
ing cavities in the skull. such as the
sphenoidal and frontal sinuses etc.
name the parts which produce It and
their mode of action? Can any one ex-
plain where the voice gets it's overtones,
/ which alone are responsible for its
beauty?
Nothing can he proved by a mega
tive. and because the critics do not
give US these things II rs not neces-
sarily proved that they cannot do sc;
and yet, as there Is certainly a por-
ton of the community to whom such
knowledge would be of great interest,
and there is a much greater portion
who might be educated up to under
'standing it. why should they not give
technical voice analysis place in their
1 criticisms %
We do not pause to wonder at the
meaning of wise use of a singer" but
hasten 10 assure the gentleman that