The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-05

OF the seventh symphony because IL was
played too fast. He admitted, says
SCHNEIDER, that the conductor had obey
ed the metronome sign. but that he had
not intended that his symphonies should
be played by such large Orchestras.
1T was a rather curious fact that
SCHNEIDER. who was so intimately ac-
quainted with Beethoven's doings in re-
gard 10 the metronomic signs OF his
symphonies, did not know whether he
had authorized those Of the little
eighth His trustworthiness has been
called in question in recent years. In
fact. the great biographer of Beethoven.
Alexander Thayer, has proved that the
master did metronome his own SYM
phonies and that he knew what he wish
ed. Thayer's knowledge is altogether
.ndisputable As for SCHNEIDER. it Is
rather queer that he should have been
ignorant of the first edition Of the
eighth symphony, a small quarto, litho-
graphed and published by Steiner & Co.,
OF Vienna, as a companion to the sew
enth symphony. The edition referred TO
by SCHNEIDER is the second. published by
There is no question that Mr.. Niklsch
performed the scherzo faster and the
second part OF the last movement more
slowly than local audiences used to be
accustomed to hear them IN the con-
sulate of Thomas. The scherzo is marked
allegro vivace, and without doubt some
conductors take it a little cautiously in
~ h.,
horn passage in the trio. It is certain
that Mr.. Nikisch's reading was highly
interesting. or II had a stirring effect
when # was disclosed here in CHECKER
ing Hall years ago
1.-The POGO andante of the last move
ment this conductor certainly played
more slowly than tradition says 1t ought
to be played, but tradition is after all a
peculiarly unsafe guide in matters mu
steal The broadening Of the movement
of the POGO andante was justified by its
results. Never before did its eloQuence
seem so overwhelming. its majesty and
breadth so imposing.
Two passages from Wagner's little
book on conducting are singularly ap-
plicable to this matter. The whole duty
Of the conductor he says. is comprised
in his ability always to indicate the
right tempo. HIS choice Of tempo Will
show whether he understands the piece
or not. With the good players again
the true tempo induces the correct
phrasing and expression, and conversely
with the conductor the idea Of appropri-
ate phrasing and expression Will induce
the conception Of the true tempo
Again he says: I remember In my
young days to have heard older must
clans make dubious remarks about the
''Eroica" Dionys Weber at Prague sim
ply treated il as n nonentity- The man
was right In his way; he chose to recog-
nize nothing but the Mozartian allegro;
and in the strict tempo peculiar TO that
allegro he taught his pupils at the Con-
servatorium to play the "Eroicai" the
result was such that one could not help
agreeing with him
These latter words have a strong bear
ing on the shading of the reading under
discussion. In regard 70 certain novel
nuances which were introduced It would
! be difficult for anyone TO sustain OBJ
jections to them on the ground Of ira
dition The most effective argument
against a general adoption Of such novel
ritardandi and acceleTandi and Jnfa-
miliar denominations is that they disturb
the serenity of the classic atmosphere
which is believed TO surround Beet
hoven's works.
But il is somewhat OF an anomaly to
/ hold that the tremendous emotional con-
I tent Of these symphonies must be sacri-
I feed TO symmetry and classicism OF
style. No one, TO be sure. has formu-
/ lated such a proposition. but it is prac-
tically offered by anyone who combats
/ the employment OF romantic methods Of
expression in passages which seem TO
/ clamor for them. 1t would be absurd
/ for anyone to assert that Beethoven de-
sired in this deeply dramatic third sym
phony to preserve the statuesque
/ smoothness and classic profile Of the
Mozartian allegro.
! MIR. Nikischs discovery of the express
sive possibilities of the passages empha-
sized by him was a credit to his musical
persDicacity. We have no satisfactory
record OF Beethovcn's desires in regard
/ to these matters. The best evidence in
/ favor Of the new departures is the splen-
dor of their proclamation. In other
words, we must fall back on the admir-
able dictum of Hector Berlioz that
/ whatever produces good effect is good,
as that whatever produces a bad one IS
/ bad. and that the authority of hundred
old men, even If they we're each a hun
dred and twenty years Of age. cannot
make ugly that which is beautiful nor
/ beautiful that which is ugly
1T was a long time ago that Mr.. Nj
kisch conducted the 'EToica' at CHECKER
ing Hall. It may be that he has altered
/ his reading since then, but the comments
on his recent reading seem to show that
he has not. He has conducted the sym
phony many times IN Germany. and no
one has walled so loudly as TO be heard
ali the way across the Atlantic till this
time. Doubtless he viii conduct the
work many times more, and in the end
/ the critics Will come TO regard his as thu
true tempt.
Possibly In the course OF days they
/ Will be adopted all over the Continent
! and then busy old tradition will proceed
| to escort them down the vale of years
/ as the real thing They will be copied