The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-21
MUSIC. SIMPLE
AND CLASSIC.
A Discussion Of the Meaning Of Mu-
steal Interpretation.
LOVE. BOTH LIGHT AND GRAND.
Light Music is Largely an Ar
fectation of Those Who Pose
as Lovers OF Classical.
LOVE BOTH LIGHT AND GRAND.
Ground for Suspicion that Scorn of
Light Music is Largely an AZ

In what sense Is It true that the music
Of certain composers needs to be Inter
pr.t.I?' The office Of an interpreter is
to make clear what wouId otherwise be
unintelligible- OF course, to a person
entirely devoid OF musical knowledge,
the notes on printed sheet are as nays
FERROUS as the hieroslyphics on an Egyp-4
ton sobelisl: and any performer who cor
rectly translates these curious black
marks into harmonious sound may be
said to "interpret' them to the ear OF tho
uninitiated. But this Is not what our
critics mean when they speak OF the
Interpretation" of certain compositions.
1t IS noticeable that what Is called Eight
music does net need an interpreter-only.
q performer or performers. "A brass band
Is never said to interpret Hail Column 4
bia.,' but simply to play It It seems.
then, that in the Judgment OF critics, there
are two great classes OF music, kind
that den1Ads mere mechanical accuracy
in SQUIRTING the true notes in the true
time, and another kind that requires
more thans this. Such music as that OF
Hail Columbia or the Marseillaise cannot,
IL correctly rendered, be made ugly, even
by comparative Lack Of expression. Or
perhaps it should be said, rather. that
SO spirit-stirring is the melody in these
compositions, that it Is impossible 20 play
them in an expressionlcss. lifeless way.
The manner In. which they should be play
ed is seif-evident.
EXPRESSION THE VERY SOUL
But there are other compositions in
which expression is the very life and
soul, and, not lying on the surface, has %
be sought after and diligently studied.
The author has written marks OF EXPIRES
sion along with his notes, but these are
not SO definite and precise as are the notes
themselves. This Is the style OF COM
position. thai has to be interpreted
Played mechanically its phrases are &c.
void Of beauty. sE3
Light music, on account OF its com
oaratfve ease of execution and the prom.
inence of It's melody. is more popular
than the other kind. What shall we call
this othcr kind? It will not do to- de-
scribe it as heavy so we call II '.cius-
sical'' This, however, is q misnolner.
Anything is truly classical when it may
serve as a model Of its I-ind. In this
sense of the word there are some negro
Melodies" so-called, that are classics
those by Foster for example.
Music is a broad Held. and there Is room
fer all varieties. 1t is to be regretted
that musicians and Inusic-lovers have
ranged themselves in two opposite and all.
The supporters OF the popular concert,
s in which light music is the characteristic
feature. In the other camp we find the
supp orIers of the grand concert, from
which light music is vigorously excluded.
HAS TO BE ACQUIRED.
1t is a. common SAYING among musical
people that "a taste for the grand style
Gated up to IT. Such music demands
high degree of technical skill in TIE per-
former. and, II he Is an expert in his
craft he prefers 1t as a field for the dis
play OF his abilities. Aside from this, Its
power to interest depends not so much
upon melody (which is what cap
lures the popular earl as upon rich har-s
monte effects Ito which the popular ea.s
IS generally insensible). It is a mistake,
however, to measure the artistic value Of
q musical production by the diff ffculty OF
Ats rendition. The easiest music to play
5fs sometimes the hardest to write. AT
first sight, says Pauer. in his little
treatise on Musical Forms, ut would
seem an easy task to compose good
4 that those Songs which sound most sim
pie, and strike our heart at once. were
produced with the greatest labor and
thought - Again, he says, the fnven-
ton OF a beautiful melody IS one of the
surest signs Of genius. Z,
Music In which the principal feature Is
acomr;ex-harmony can be the work OF
for an exercise OF the inventive faculty.
s.All possible chords have been discovers
and tabulated long ago. Tho rules thai
EEovern their succession. with the excep.
lions permissible under certain conditions,
constitute what may be called the Sran-s
mar OF music, and these the composers
must have at his fingers. ends Il = g.
AL