The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-28

the ladies there are some who profess
to have found it very successful.
The idea was first suggested to a
concert reformer in Darmstadt, who
took to reading Goethe. and came upon
a chapter in Wilhelm Meister'' in
which an eccentric lover of music is
described 'He could not live without
music, more especially singing, and he
was wont to listen to it without seeing
the singers" This quaint individual
used to say that music is really in
tended for the ear only, whereas in
concert rooms it is made to minister
mainly to the eye, to accompany move
ments, not sensations. The gentleman
from Darmstadt thereupon concluded
that the first step in the way of ra-
tional reform would be to lower the
lights and shut his eyes to the conse-
quences. and as many people jumped
at the idea, it has already been real
lied, first in Darmstadt and then in
Frankfort-o the Main. Experiments
are about to be continued elsewhere,
and the whole Fatherland is divided
into. two hostile camps. The argu-
ments for and against the innovation
at least, those that have been con-
fided to the public-@are as follows:
man goes TO a concert to hear mu-
sic. But when he gets there he sees
great deal more than he hears, and his
attention is distracted. The pillars, the
statues, the lusters all turn his
thoughts away from the strains meant
to soothe or inspirit. That is not as it
ought to be, and yet it is not by any
means the worst. He looks around at
the ladies, many of whom come to be
looked at says these rude Germans. He
sees the luxuriant tresses of one sylph-
like figure before him, and, as he can
not catch a glimpse of her charming
face, he tries to guess at the features.
His neighbor, rich tradesman, is en-
gagged in estimating the cost of the
riviere of diamonds around her shapely
neck. A third worshiper of Terpsich
ore finds himself behind the sweetest
thing in hats and feels moved to ex-
claim, like the Irishman in chapel:
Sure, you wear just on purpose a bon
net so deep
That / can't at your sweet, purity face
get peep.
oh! lave off that bonnet or else I'll
lay on it
The loss of my wandering sowl.
Now, all these things were brought
to the concert for the purpose of being
seen, where as people come primarily
to hear. Suddenly burst of applause
reminds them of this fact-and of the
other, that they have not been listen
ing to the sonata. Thus far the advo-
catus diaboli.
The ladies' champions insist that, be-
ing gifted with eyes, we should use
them to some good purpose, even in
concert hall. When number of peo-
pie foregather for a common object
they ought at least, to see each other.
And, after all, the majority of the pub
I To a,.t
worshipers thar those who go to
church. Moreover, some light must be
given 70 the musicians in order that
they may read the score, and this light
in an otherwise dark room Is painful
to the eyes. If, on the other hand,
the person of the singer is hidden from
view, as Wagner covered up his orches-
ira, much of the effect is marred.
Lastly, it should not be forgotten that
a good deal of modern music was writ
ten for the light Haydn's Seasons,
for instance, was never intended 10 be
performed in gloom. A cantilene of
chopin might 1t is true, affect us more
powerfully in the cleaning, but that
is an experiment to be tried at home.
If, however, in spite of all these ar
guments, the light is to be turned
down, then, adds German critic who
might have hailed from Connemara,
let the seats be turned round, so that
our backs may face the orchestra.
On Tuesday evening last Prof. Kwast
and some other celebrated musicians
gave a concert i'm Frankfurt in the
dark. The programme was excellent
and the gas bill was nil. One of the
critics left the hall with eyeache be-
fore the second piece was performed,
and some of the younger visitors watt
ed in ecstasies of delight till all was
over. Another critic declares that the
reform. TO be successful, must be thor
ough. and the degrees Of obscurity
should be adjusted to the musical ef-
fleets of each composition. For an
allegro. therefore, the room ought to
be inundated with light: for the finale
twilight would be the fitting accompa-
niment, while a slow movement should
be played in absolute darkness. Some
of the ladies-only a minority, howev-
err, and mostly the inexperienced
among them-were highly pleased with
the performance. The remarks OF
Their persons seated In darkness were
in minor key. and the general YER
dict seems to be that the experiment
has fallen nat.
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