The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12

covered that an entire brood Of young
musicians had been brought uD on the
same blood-heating food, and dozen COM
posers were ready TO utilize the same for
mulas. Most of Them indeed, got the virus
from the same apothecary who uttered the
mortal drug to ascagni-from Amicare
Ponchielli Had We but listened twenty
years ago to 'Giaconda' as we are able to
listen to 'Cavalleria Rusticana' and its
swift and multitu6inous offspring now. We
might nave recognized the beginnings OF
what has been termed .Mascagnitis:' not
In an essentially new manner of musical
composition, but In the appeal to the prim-
tive passion for violence and blood which
FOUND expression In the operate para
phrase OF Victor Hugo's story and the in
vltation which that passion extended to
the modern musician suddenly emancipated
from Il lot of cumbersome formuaries and
endowed with "A mass of new harmonic and
Instrumental pigments with which to pro-
tradlctlons for which the new held OF sub
jects clamor
Twelve years ago 'Caveileria Rusticana
had no perspective. Now. though but a
brought TO our notice. we see il at the end
OF vista which LOOKS like valley OF moral
and physical death through which there
nows slCBSis stream thich with nlth and
red with blood. Strangely enough, in spite
OF the consequences which have followed
1t, the herce little drama retains its old
potency. 1t still speaks with voice that
seen the voice of truth. Its music still
makes the nerves Jingle and carries our
feelings INTERESTINGLY or its turbulent cur
rent. But the Stage picture is less SAN
culinary than Ii loo ed "a decade ago. 1t
seems to have receded a millennium in time
Ii has the terrible fiercentss OF an Attic
tragedy, but 1t also has the decorous taste
which the Attic tragedy never violated.
There is no slaughter in the presence of
the audience. spi;e the humbleness of the
personages- 1t docs not keep US perpetualiy
In sight OF the shambics. 1t is. indeed, an
exposition Of chivalry-iustic, but chivalry
nevertheless. Twas thus Clytemnestra slew
her husband and Orestes his mother. Note
the contrast betWeen Il and The double
murder with the piquant accompaniment of
comedy in 'PaSiiacck' PiquaIt * the cry:
the piquant contemplation OF seduction.
adultery and murder amid the reek AMI
stencil of the Italian barnyard. In Cilea 5
'Tilda' street singer seeks to avenge her
wrongs upon faithless lover. She brides
a jailer to conniVe az the escape of a rob-
Der he is being led TO execution Him
she elects to be the Instrument of her
vengeance. Rig hit merrily she lives with
MN nm, ana ms com9anions IN the greenwood
until the band captures the renegade lover
on MS wedding journey. Tilda .rushes upon
the bride with drawn dagger but melts
when she sees Ter victim in the attitude OF
prayer and sinks on her knees beside her
only to receive the Death blow from her
seducer a picture OF piquant contrasts:
and there are tarantellas and Ave Marias
in the music. Or take the story Of Gior-
danos Ma'a Vita Here the hero is A
young dyer whose dissoiute habits have
brought on consumption. The principal OBJ
A violent L6morrhage warns him of an.
proaching death, and stricheI with coward
~ Tear, he rushes to the nearest statue Of
the Madonna and registers VOW He will
marry wanton. redeem her and save hi.
own life He pledges himself to the heroine
VINO meets the requirements, and she feels
momentarily blest. But the married siren
the Lola in the case, winds her tolls about
him again and sloats on, T the un .orttinaIs
one. who sinks lifeless at her door,
Pipuaney again. achieved now without
I a
the evildoer. The list might be extended;
| Tasca's a Santa Lucia has an appetizins
storS o, an oysterman's sontwho deserts
a woman by whom he has a Child I'm orde I
10 marry one to whom he had previous y
! seen ahlanced. The women meet In 4
| dainty brawl and the fianoee .trixcs her
.1yais enid TO the ground. The mother
tries to stab her rival with the ever ready
dagger. which act stirs up the embers OF
/ Cicciiio love He takes her back to his
arms and to his fathers house. The child
| put the oysterman knows nothing about
the relations existing between his house.
koeper and his son. dear unsuspecting old
man, and dreams dream of marriag
with his common law daughter-in-isw
Enter the discarded fiancee with a tale fol
| oIcc:iio ears or his mistress,s infidelity
| III is not true! shrieks the poor woman
put the wrctch's cars are deaf to her pro.
scstations and she hurls herself iato the
sea. Ciocflo rushes after and bears her tc
the shore, where she dies in his arms
| III III Is not true
| Inc highly deleotable tale of a Basse
| Porto has been told on the local stag,
and need not detain us
| The stories of the champions of verisms
| are all alike. Ii is their Nth and BLOOD
| waicn fructifies the music which rasps tn,
| nerves as the plays revolt the moral stom
| dch- We repeat Looking back over tn,
| decade in which the so-called veritism ha,
| held its orgy. Cavaleria Rusticana seem,
| @-inost classic. Its music Is highly spice
| and tastes hot l. the mouth. Tut its elo
| ;uenoe is after all in its eager, plssionste
| 2r iEg melody. ike the music which
| ft wrote ntty years ago for the la
| act OF III Trovatore. If neither Mascaen
| himself nor his imitators have succe eded a
! cqualing II, il Is because they hay,
| -i.oa9h, too much Of the external device,
| Of aorupt and Lncouth change of mode,
ana tonaiit.es, OF exotic scales and Car,sl
| orchestra lion. ard too little of the funda
| mental clement of melody which once Wa
| he oe-an and end-all or italian music. An
other fountain or gushing melody must b.
| opened before cavalleria Rusticana find
rs successor. Ingenious artihCe reflection
! and technical device will not serve. evel
with the blood and mud OF the NcapolitaI
| ciuns FERTILIZER
Go Right on Working.