New-York tribune., 1900-11-10
TSCHALKOWSKY.
A BIOGRAPHY OF THE RUSSIAN COM
POSER

His Life and W. Worbs With tn ET FL.
pp. ui tx. 2sS John La Lane ~ ''''-'
LIFE @ CT R r BY @ rabz bz dsn s4
Svo. PIP. 24O. Imported by Charles Scribners
THE TONE KING: Romance of the Life of
Mozart; From the German of herbert He a Rap ; by
& Co rf'
This is far from being the treatment of
Tschaikowskys life and work that would be de-
sired by Tschaikowsky's admirers-a public
almost identical with music lovers in every part
of the world But the author in her preface
disarms the criticism that must formulate itself
after a reading Of the book. 1t is patchy; 1t
gives glimpses Of the composers life and charac-
ter not q view and its criticism of his work is
not based upon a foundation broad enough to
carry it to any considerable heights. But. she
says. It has been almost of making bricks
without straw-or at least Of collecting straw
scattered on the four winds of journalism and
through the byways Of Russian literature. 1t is
avowedly an offering TO the admirers of Tschai
kowsky's music made in the absence OF some
thing completer and more authoritative SO 1t
will be accepted for what IT Is with gratitude
for an arduous and rather thankless service.
Tschaikowskys life as we'll as his music has
been something of a puzzle to students of both,
down the very end. with the baleful rumors
of suicide which Miss Newmarch promptly dis
misses as unproved-and the alleged autobio-
graphical interest in the morbid and world weary
Sixth Symphony. which she also finds quite un-
warranted. There curiousy opposing and
contradictory elements in both his life and his
music Strongly attracted as he by the for
ward movements Of his time in art; devoted
Russian as he was. deeply he tinctured his
music with national coloring he could not ac-
knowledge complete allegiance to the new school
of Russian music. His conservatism strangely
intertwined with his modern impulses, confiicted
with that school, There is resulting lack of
unity in the tendency OF his work whole.
and in the content of many Of his individual
compositions. Nor yet could he give his ad
herence to critics of the newer schools repre-
sented in Germany by Wagner the one hand
and the other by Brahms. Intensely modern
in essence as his symphonic music is. he was
bent composing operas in the conventional
forms invalidated by modern views of the sig
nifcance and importance of the dramatic ele-
ment in opera. His songs. according to Miss
Newmarch embody the same thought. We ad-
nire many of them for their lyric charm, their
repressed intensity and sadness, but in reading
the Russian poems she finds that he was in
different to of the highest excellences of
song writing. the equal pairing Of words and
music: with him music is the sole end In view
to interpolate Good heavens" Alas" Woe is
me-" and to turn fine verse into Indifferent
prose.
Miss Newmarch's narrative OF Tschaikowsky's
life and struggles and her delineation OF his
singularly sensitive reticent, kindly nature.
while they do not give rounded portrait of
the man, suggestive, and form the best part
OF her book. OF his personal modesty and diff
dence the story of his life is full His early
days saw many disappointments in the produc
ton Of his works. OF a number Of them he
burned the scores after they had been once per-
formed. He seems-many of his compositions.
even the best. show ito have been deficient in
fastidious seh-criticism while engaged in COM
position. though he frequently diffident
about the result afterward. He sensitive to
criticism. too, and this led to a characteristic
reserve even toward some Of his good friends;
yet he to have been angered by
criticism. We read Of uncompromising remarks
on various occasions by both Anton and Mich
olas Rubinstein and others of his companions.
that. while they hurt him. did not ALLEVIATE his
friendship. Brahms's personality sym
pathetic to him, and while he never could
aught but cold austerity in his works. and. be-
hind them, a mediocre talent unduy exalted,
he kept a friendly footing with him. At
Hamburg. whittier Brahms had journeyed to
hear him conduct his Fifth Symphony, they
dined together. and, after entertaining him hos
pitaby, Brahms confided to him with quiet sin
cerity that he did not like the symphony at all.
Tschaikowsky was encouraged 10 speak out
with the uncompromising sincerity about
the German masters work. They parted
cellent friends. they had been before. The
anecdote is characteristic Of both men, There
are similar stories OF his meekness with lesser
musicians. His regard for Brodsky. who played
his violin concerto after Auer to whom he dedi-
Gated 1t, had pronounced 1t impossible"
unshakable. When Hanslick speaks of this
concerto as sinking music" he only writes in
his diary with regret Of the celebrated and in
iuential critic who has not spared the pearls
of his caustic humor nor the poisoned arrows
Of his sarcasm" A Hamburg critic wrote of
his rough, patchy. barbaric symphonic style"
and repeated the Indictment to him in person
at a subsequent meeting. but his words rang
with such genuine feeling and gave evidence of
such careful study and friendliness," wrote the
Ciarist, that preserved a very pleasant recol-
lection of my short acquaintance with him"
Rare If not unique, member ot the irritable
of musicians!
Miss Newmarch gives brief analyses of
Tschaikowskys operas that. with two
exceptions, are unknown outside OF his native
land Her criticisms of these and of his
symphonic music rise little above the perfume
tory plane. and lacking in both skill and
insight The reprint of the diary of his journey
in Germany is interesting. valuable feature
Of the book is the list of Tschaikowsky's works
at the end. and there is also a fac smile of his
musical handwriting. The lack of an index is
a serious
Franz Liszt's little book on Chopin while too
rhapsodical to be safe and entirely trust
worthy criticism of the great Poles life and
work. would not willingly be lost by music
lovers 1t contains many illuminating touches
as 70 the aIltx Of Chonin,s ssnins L. sI=s