New-York tribune., 1901-04-07

inenl, Is so ernently lHdt II - uiiASuiS
to speak Of either highly
Extremely interesting and valuable are several
books which have recently been put forward by
publishers here and abroad. Most of these must
have special critical attention. but they deserve
ration now. First in Importance is the hrst
volume of William Ashton Elliss translation OF
CIlasenapp's comprehensive biography OF fticharo
Wagner which comes from the press OF hegan
Paul Trench Trubner & Co, London. Mr. Ellis
had scarcely finished his vast labor OF preparing
an English version of Wagners complete prose
writings before took up the Glasenapp bosraphy'
which, in its and extended FORM Is sui III lhe
hands of its author. We are thus promised CARE
ful. complete and in every respect authoritative
life Of the poet-composer in Enghsh-a work tha'
is needed Next in value is Mr.. Arthur Meess
contribution TO The Music Lovers Library pun
lished by Charles Scribners Sons III is ertitieu
"Chors and Choral Music" and IN a wonoeriuily
comprehensive but succinct manner teiis 'he MS
tory of choral music from the time OF the GREEKS
and Hebrews down to the present showing 'ie
development of the larger forms of composition ana
also the growth of choral organizations MI Mees
book IS unique; 1t has fellow and future MS
torians will use II as foundation II contains ten
chapters with these heads Among the HEBREWS
and Greeks: In the Early Christian Church; In the
Medieval Church; After the Reformatioh' me
Mystery, Bach; The Oratorio, Handei olher
Choral Forms; Amateur Choral Culture In Ger
many and England; Amateur Choral culture III
America The Chorus and Chorus Conductor. In
the same useful series of books Mr.. Meess VOL
ume was preceded by Mr. w. F. Apthorps The
Opera Past and Present" Here Is book with
some fppancies blemishes of style. but full OF
suggestions TO the student of music and permeated
with the modern spirit. Mr.. Apthorp is ANYTHING
but respecter of conventions in history and crit-
cism In the preface he has succinctly outlined the
purpose of his book:
To show how a general desire for some such
form OF dramatico-yric art as the Opera was mani mani
Tested in France and Italy considerably pe1ore any
ed
how this possibility last realized by the De
by the Floreniine Music Reform, and how the
open that F oEn was ba the thf principles in
accordance with which the Opera was iiI nrst Les, es
tcal with those promulgated in the nineteenth
eentuy by Richard Wagnfr mat sne tbrpurb me
influence OF Carissimi. and. from being an essen
purely musical one. And finally. how this Caris-
SINH influence continued to make itsef feit nE eyea
It, until Wagner gave il its deathblow-
book admirably designed to lay the founda-
tIon of biographical study in young minds Is
Thomas Tapper's First Studies in Music Biog-
raphy" published by Theodore Presser in Philadel-
phia. Mr.. Tapper's plan is while telling the life
stories Of the great musicians to correlate the
principal incidents in those stories with important
events in history especially American history. The
idea is a capital one. It serves not only as mem
ory help but brings the subjects of study close TO
the sympathes of the young student A single in
stance taken random Will illustrate his method.
In the biography of Bach read:
If Johann an H., Sebastian b Bach ,f could have listed
america IN ms DoNhood ne woulu nave Iouhd New
would have learned in New-York that a few years
great elm tree that grew beside the Delaware
River, bought land of them and made with them
laid out a capital city for the colony, naming it
Philadelphia. Had Sebastian visited Boston when
the Massachusetts colony in a state OF excitement.
became possessed of the thought that witches
about. A number of persons, accused of witch
craft. were hanged.
are not so numerous as books of history and criti-
cism. but among recent publications there IS n
well planned and lucidly expressed book by Percy
Goetschius. entitled Exercises in MelodyWrit
ing; A Systematic Course Of Melodic Composition.
Designed for the Use OF Young Music Students.
Chiefly a Course of Exercise Collateral with
the Study of Harmony" 1t is published by G.
Schirmer.
Mr.. Harry Rowe Shelley has composed Romeo
and Juliet lyric drama in three acts and one
tableau. and the vocal score has been published in
a handsome style by Edward Schuberth & Co.
Union Square. Mr.. Shelley has compiled the book
Of his opera from Shakespeare's tragedy. The Incl
dents of his first scene. which plays IN the garden
Of Capuet. are the merrymakng Of Capulet's guests
the meeting Of the lovers and the quarrel between
Tybault and Romeo incidentally comes the de-
scrptOn of Queen Nab and the instrumental back
ground throughout is the festa music within the
palace Scene two is the Balcony scene and. like
Gounod Nr. Shelley blends the voices Of the lovers
in duet the words:
Good night Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That ! shall good night till 1t be tomorrow!
In two the first scene ends with a tabIeau Of
Friar Laurence blessing the union of Romeo and
Juliet; the second is given up the killing of Aier-
cutio and Tybalt and the banishment Of Romeo
The scenes in Juet's chamber and the tomb OF the
Capulets fill the last and Mr. Shelley sacri-
fees final love. duet q he
in its integrity. His desire TO depart as little as
possible from Shakespeare's text has left him but
little use for ensembles Where they became neces-
sary the composer provided his lines or per
mitted his characters to speak their different
speeches simultaneously. In the music. of which
hope to speak fully hereafter Mr. Shelley
has developed his own plan. Melody is the element
most consistently sought and he has permitted
himself absolute freedom OF form.
Bemberg's dramatic musical setting to Henri
Murger's La Ballade du Desespere' is TO be the
important number on the programme Mrs. Kath-
arine Fisk will present at her matinee song recital
at the Hotel Netherland Wednesday, April II
In the poem an Pngel seeks admttance to the home
OF poet who is wholly tired of life. and offers i'm
mortal fame love. riches and power. One gift
after another is rejected by dsillusionized poet
until finally death. with its promise OF peace and
from lfe's joys and woes, proves irresistible
The Rev. J. Mcclure Bellows will assist Mrs Fisk
and interpret the poet. Victor Harris will be at
the pianoforte, and there will be accompa nirnent
also, of harp. violin and cello. Other numbers
will be songs by Bach. Handel, MacDowell. Ruben
GoIdmark, Chadwick Arthur Nevin. Maude Valerie
White, Taubert and DIR. Arne The recital will
pegin at II o'clock.
The Bach Choir. of Bethlehem. Penn under the
direction OF j. Fred Wolfe which distinguished it
self year by a complete performance Of Bach's
b minor mass will this year give a three days