The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-29
MUSIC IN THE DARK.
TFrom the London telegraph


IFrom the London Telegraph
Ladies are the best. nay, the only
competent Judges of a practical problem
which is moving all Germany to us
depths just now. and is certain to come
up for discussion in England DeIofe
long. 1t is a somewhat mixed problem,
no doubt. but all the elements OF wnicn
IT is composed come naturally before
the woman's impartial tribunal, where
as the Teutons are having 1t adJuogeu
by a packed jury of prejudiced maies.
This is the question in its briefest form.
Is it true that a pern1cious enec ,s,i io
concerts by feminine beauty. with us
delightful accessories. as seen IN blaze
of artificial light reflected by crystal
gold and giittering diamonds! Ge.
many answers yes, and declares that IN
future lights must be turned down; IN
fact, some of the holder spirits have al
ready put them out and ieft the au Iui-
ence in darkness. The effects OF TINS
alarming experiment are naturally
somewhat obscure, but even among the
ladies there are some who profess TO
have found it very successful.
The idea was first suggested to con-
cert reformer in Darmstadt, who took TO
reading Goethe, and came upon a CHAP
ter in wilhelm Meister'' in which an
eccentric lover of music is described.
He could not live without music, more
X,
listen to it without seeing the singers
This quaint individual used to say that
music is really intended for the ear
only, whereas in concert rooms II IS
made to minister mainly to the eye, 70
accompany movements. not sensations
The gentleman from Darmstadt there
upon concluded that the first step In the
way of rational reform would be TO
lower the lights and shut his eyes TO the
consequences, and as many people
Jumped at the idea 1t has already been
realized, first in Darmstadt and then IN
Frankfort the Main. departments
and the whole fatherland is divided into
two hostile camps. The arguments for
and against the innovation-at least
those that have been confided to the
pub1ic-are as follows:
A man goes to a concert to hear music.
But when he gets there he sees a great
deal more than he hears, and his atten-
ton is distracted. The pillars, the stat
ues, the lusters, all turn his thoughts
away from the strains meant to soothe
or inspire. 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,
say these rude Germans. He sees the
luxuriant tresses of one sylph-like fig
ure before him, and, as he cannot catch
glimpse of her charming face, tries to
guess at the features. His neighbor, a
rich tradesman, is engaged in estimat-
ing the cost of the riviere of diamonds
around her shapely neck A third wor-
shipper of Terpsichore finds himself be-
hind the sweetest thing in hats. and
feels moved to exclaim, like the Irish
man in chapel:
Sure, you wear just on purpose a bon
net so deep
That 1 can't at your sweet, purity face
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, whereas people come primarily to
hear. Suddenly burst of applause re-
minds them of this factIand of the
other, that they have not been listening
| to the sonata. Thus far the advocatus
diaboli.
The ladies' champions insist that, be-
ing gifted with eyes, we should use
concert hall When a number of people
| foregather for common object they
ought, at least, to see each other. And,
after ALL the majority of the public are
not better more conscientious
worshipers than those who go to church.
Moreover, some light must be given to
the musicians in order that they may
read the score, and this light in an 9TH
erwise 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 orchestra, much of the
effect is 1narred. Lastly, it should not
be forgotten that good deal of modern
music was written for the light. Hay
denis Seasons" for instance, was never
intended to be performed in gloom. A
cantilene of Chopin might, 1t is true,
affect us more powerfully in the g1oam-
ing but that is an experiment to be
tried at home. If, however, in spite OF
all these arguments, the light is to be
! turned down, then, adds a German
critic who might have hailed from Con-
nemara, let the seats be turned round
| so that our backs may face the orches-
ira.
On Tuesday evening last Professor
| Kwast and some other celebrated mu-
sicians gave concert in Frankfort in
the dark. The programme was excel
lent 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 waited
in ecstasies of delight till all was over
Another critic declares that the reform
to be successful, must be thorough, an6
the degrees OF obscurity should be adj
justed to the musical effects of eacf
composition. For an allegro, therefore
the room ought to be inundated will
| light; for the finale twilight would be thu
fitting accompaniment. while a slow
/ movement should be played in abso1ut,
darkness. Some of the ladies-only
minority, however, and mostly the In
experienced among them-were highl,
! pleased with the performance. TIKI re
! marks of other persons seated in dG11s
| ness were in minor key, and the gen
eral verdict seems to be that the expert
ment has fallen fiat.
Still Keeps It Up.
f<<1 ~