New-York tribune., 1900-09-23
MUSICAL COMMENT.
MR.. HUNEKER AND HIS BOOK ON CHOPIN
A GROUP OF OPERA SINGERS,
DON GIOVANNI IN A NEW
EDITION-NEwS NOTES AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS.


There lies before The Tribune's musical
mentator book bearing the inviting title: Chopin;
the Man and His Music" It is months since
the tastefully made little volume came from the
press OF Charles Scribner's Sons but during this
time many another occasion. the commen-
tator was perforce compelled to be peregrinator,
and the pleasures of work I'm the study were not
for him. The delights OF perusal. however. have
lost nothing by the postponement they seem rather
have been quickened by anticipation. The author
OF the work is James G. Huneker. The first OF this
writer's literary which got between
binders boards. ''MezZotints in Modern Musc.'
disclosed him be of the most charming and
instructive of the writers musical subjects who
make Of the English language. Here was
biography vvihed with literary charm, criticism
warmed with fancy art history with its procession
Of facts nlumined by the play Of a fecund i'm
agina tion There many farfetched founda-
tonless and in the book for 1t
srled transition state in the development OF lts
author For years he had been content to be an
idle musical gossip, sporting careless attitude
toward an art which he loved in spite of himself
and permitting an affected admiration for the
vicious foies of French end OF the century wit
iings TO color his thought and determine his style.
the time came when this flying of ephemeTtds
no longer satisfied his ambition. Like the lads or
ancient Greece he outgrew his love for the game in
spite OF the fun which attaching burning splinters
10 the poor insects brought and he aimed at better
things So got ''Mezzotnts." with its hushel of
sound kernels and its handful Of residuary chan
At once MT. Huneker, a0mireo or tne local lew be-
cane personality to the readers Of musical htera-
ture everywhere: in the eyes of English critic
ne became tremendous personality MT
Runciman could not quite understand him, and ne
had no sympathy with OF his views. but he
could help adrnirng his audacity, brains, emo
tionaI sensitveness and knowledge.
In Mr. Huneker's new book have the excellent
OF the ''Mezzotints' in augmentation and the
defects in dTninution. The writer is still fond Of
unusual words; dramatic effect still seduces him oc-
c2sionally into paths where the common mental
eye perforce oregoes its function he cannot always
withstand the beckoning leer Of a paradox, so ii
resounds sonOrousy tnkles mellihuously; and his
INA gnation, fed PHILOSOPHERS Of all sorts finds
snalogies. motives and for the creations Of
ne musician whore never musician ever dreamed
Ct looking for inspirations but there are life, color
suggestion initiative. impetus in his flights, and
frequently they the purposes of criticism
in tts highest estate as defined by Schumann when
he asked that the pleasure enjoyed in the perform
ance be recalled by the comment upon j.
It's in the narrative portion Of his book however
that the greatest Improvement in Mr.. Huneker's j
literary disclosed. He tells the story Of
Chopin's life with delightful rapidity and lmp!dty. .
Scores Of incidents over which other hographers ]
have dawdled and sentimentalzed, like maudlin |
schoolgirls. disposed Of by him in few luni- |
phrases which set the story right and al the
same time promote analysis of his subjects
character. He makes effort to throw a poetic !
glamour around the man Chopin. He loves the mu- |
scians genius. and believes that he wrote out in
his music what sweetest, purest, loftiest di- /
finest IN his soul does hesitate to show
he inveTtebrate nature Of Chopins moral charac- |
The love affairs over which many gallons !
OF inky tears have been shed do disturb his |
eQuanmity. for he has anayzed them all sufficient
" 10 discover that Chopin nordinately selfish !
and inconstant the shade. HIS sound grasp OF |
Chopin's character relieves him of the obligation |
which has oppressed many writers Of maunder- |
irg on the outcome of the liaIson between Chopin |
and George Sand. Like other writers. he makes |
his trial solving the large riddle which Nine
Dudevant gave the world to solve, but you read
the essentials Of the story it presents Itself TO
Mr Huneker's Denetrative eye in a few scattered !
paragraphs:
Chopin neurotic being, met the polyandrous |
Sand trampler on all the social and ethical con
ventions. albeit woman Of great gifts; repelled |
first he gave way before the ardent passion she
manifested toward him. This intimacy, how |
standing the inevitable sorrow and heartbuTnngs
the close CHOPIN had % % socatv ae to o. 90k fS a1e a
liant French woman ne throye amazngly; MAJ I his best Best
on her r Side profited also The break had to
come, It was the inevitable end Of such friend
formulated This much We know: Two such nat
wore off the stronger Of the two-the one least in
loye-took the initial steP II was George Sand
for several years and as he had completed his ar
tistic work on this planet and there was nothing
more TO be studied-the psychological portrait was
supposedly palnted-Mme: George got rld OF him.
1t was uiste affair. and do not doubt
IN re itaSt lhat II uLueIfllne NnOpln leeDIe
health. Why not? Animals die OF broken hearts
and this emotional product Of Poland, deprived Of
affection. home and careful attention may well.
De Lenz swears. have died Of heartbreak.
There IS the story in its outlines. and If IL lacks
anything for completion it might be found in Mr..
Hunekers remark: so he altogether de-
serted by the women-indeed, he could not live
without their little batteries and agreeable atter-
lions. It is safe to say that always
within call OF Chopin and in Turgenleff's state
ment about half hundred countesses who
claimed have held the dying Chopin in .heir
arms.
After all, however. there is nothing new in the
life story OF Chopin the students of musical
literature and it is the contribution which Mr.
Huneker makes 10 the extant body Of Chopin
criticism that most claims our interest Here we