Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-10

music 0ud@g0 nh IEp4Y - t444 Q4Dty -
4 careful and helpful one. Naturally.
there is no mention Of his own books.
though they merit q place high IN the
list. His What is Good Music?" and
THE Orchestra and Orchestral Music"
are two of the best books found in the
musical library.
Here is Mr.. Henderson's reply to the
inquiry:
Several correspondents have written
to ask for a list Of books on music
which are of the kind that will enable
the amateur to gain an insight into the
nature and aesthetics of the art. There
are several such works-in fact, more
of them than the average music lover
will take the trouble to read. The
writer will not hesitate on that ac-
count, however, to mention a few of
them. The first topic which the music
lover must take up is form, and on
that no better book is to be had than
Perry Goetschius' "Homophonic
Forms" 1t is a new work and an ex-
cellent one. The title is the most for
midable part of it. There are several
good little books in the Novello series
of primers and musical subjects, and |
do not hesitate to recommend to the
music lover the primer on form. There
is also a good book on this topic by W.
S. B. Matthews.
II is also a good thing for the music
lover to learn TO read at sight, and for
this purpose | can heartily recon-
mend Frank Damrosch's Popular
Method of Sight Reading" There is no
book which the music lover can read
uTifh y D-OG% rI4, II II D~@L
biel's How to Listen to Music" This
book covers much Of the ground which
the music lover could traverse otherwise
only by reading a number of volumes.
1t is written in a clear, comprehensive
style and is excellently illustrated. No
one can afford to neglect DR.. Hubert
Parry's Evolution of the Art of Mu-
sic" a work which occupies an ac-
knowledged position as a standard au-
thority. 1t should be read in connec-
ton with one of the small histories of
music which treat the subject in a more
elementary manner. There are several
of these works, and the reader will do
well to select that one which seems
best to meet his particular ants.
There are two works dealing with the
aesthetics Of the art which should be
read by everyone who desires to get an
insight into the principles which under
lie the composition of music. These
are DR.. Hanslick's 1.-THE Beautiful in
Music" and Ambros' Boundaries of
Poetry and Music" One OF these is
the antithesis of the other in point of
view. Dr.. Hanslick comes pretty near
to denying all spirituality t. music, and
holds it to be chiefly sounding forms.
Ambros combats this theory. and en-
deavors to show just how much music
can express without calling in the aid
of text. Both are intensely interesting
n full of suggestion to the music
lover.
1t would be easy to mention many
other works which will be of profit TO
the reader, but when he has read these
he will be able to choose for himself.
There are plenty of books dealing with
special branches of the art, such as Sir
George Groves Beethoven and His
Nine Symphonies" but the student will
not have much trouble in discovering
these books after he has read those
which | have mentioned. The demand
for works which open up the meaning
and purpose of music to the listener
is constantly growing, and THIS is a
good sign. 1t is argued by some that
the reading of such books is not nee
essary to the enjoyment of music, but
that is a matter which depends on
what one regards as enjoyment. Hun
dreds of people go to concerts of fine
music and never hear anything except
here and there a pretty, melodic pas
sage. Others get as far as the detec-
ton of orchestral tints, and some even
recognize the temperance of a theme
in a transformed state. But only those
who have a knowledge of the funda-
mental principles of form ever really
fathOm the depths of a comnositiOn. !