Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-21
OTHER NEW PUBLICATIONS.

FROM GRIEG TO BRAHMS. Studies Of
some modern composers and their art,
In. Tar;al Gregory Mason; New York,
the outlook Company.
The amateur as Well as the profession
al musician finds food for thought and
Incentive to deeper and fuller study Of the
g.preme art in the volume from the pen
~ Daniel Gregory Mason, whose initial
contribution to musical literature is des-
.5no6. we believe, to he a valuable one.
III, titIe a the book hardly suggests its
scope w!fch is not chronological. but IN
he order of musical progression From
5ries- to Brahms" is q. series of ESSAYS
N six modern composers, who are ranged
according to their native talent Or genius
ma their conformity 70 the highest laws
of musical construction. Mr.. Mason
does rot, however, purge at once INTO
the consideration OF individual achleVc-
nart hat leads tho mind up to this point
IN :, comprehensive Introductory arucie on
The appreciation of music III Which iis
outlines The history of tonal art ana
awells particularly on the lh'elle tt . ~
iipht AFFORDED by pure form. From the
orioin of music in the impulse of man 10
,,-nress emotion by inarticulate cries ana
,Fay-fbr7ic. movements, he traces It's oe-
1-elonmc;,t of interval and time 70 'tle
modern complex aud exquisite system oi
harmony and ph-aSing pointing oul tiihe
aa,F7 COMPOSER is but a link in the long
chain and is 10 be judged according 10
The use he has made of the material at
hfs disnosal and the extent to which
pn has enriched the resources OF iuose
,r7n succeed him While. for The clearer
,,r,,,,,,ret eI1sion of the lay mind. he
admits 4 theoretical distinction between
technic and expression. he MAINTAINS mat
s.! reality they are Identical ana lhat III
order TO be a master The composer mus
restrain emotion within the bounds OF
formal beauty.
Having established certain principles OF
musical criticism our author proceeds 10
amply them TO the six composers among
the rnQdelns whom he ranks as great
or these ne places Greig lowest IN the
scale OF conception and form, CHASING
him as an exponent Of purely persona
IA linz and his music as persistent'E
Iyric ana distinguished from contrapuntal
..l4e is" he says. intimate, charming.
graceful bat never epic or universal
Dvorsak, he thinks, is national in mas
fns;,iratiorl. possesses more power and mas
a more thorough perception of harmony,
his chief strength lying IN his mastery
Cf orchostratiun, III tniS respeSb ne -
lNleneG 10 Beethoven. Beriioz. and Nag-
ncr Next in order, Nr- Mason ranks
Saint-saers, The brilliant Frenchman'
challenging the intellectual with his
wonderful 1echnic and startling the worlc
BY his extraordinary versatility. OF
Cesar FrancE MIR Mason says tnat he is
q mystic seeking TO express ms sublime
conceptions III strange new forms:
tl.c neglecting the ordinary resources OF
musical composition. Passing from
Tsc}laikowsky. whom he credits with
roearwhof:asns richness of emotions. the
3 thor finally rests with sense OF al
most perfect content on the. personai,E
fhe work Of Brahms. He writes OF hlm
rs follows: OF all the figures OF modern
music. brilliant and varied as they are
impressing one with the many-sidedness
and wide scope of the art, there Is, per-
haIs only one, that of Johannes Brahms
which conveys the sense OF satisfying
2c.se, self-control, and seni.y. he
e.iceis all his contemporaries In soondness
and universality.
Pa conclusion. Mr. Mason enters the