The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-07

the outer air he settled down to the COM
Portable jog Of the typical Italian composer,
and turned out opera after opera, all made
over the familiar lasts of Verdi and Boto.
No, Italy has not to-day single master even
or the rank OF Donizetti, who, with all his
failings, had at least musical ideas He
could invent tunes, and some OF them were
good tunes. II he had been trained In the
school OF the lyric drama instead of In that
of the vocal piece opera, ne would doubt
less have written something much more
interesting than Mr., Mascagnis Iris" or
Mr. Puccini "Tosca.' When we speak of
Italy we must pertorce speak Of opera. for
Italy has done very little indeed in any other
form OF music, Sometimes the fatal IA
cilty Of the unintellectual musicians Of
Italy in turning out operas leads to the
suspicion that opera writing Ia the easiest
form Of composition. 1t certainly Is when
practised a. the majority Of Italians prac-
tise it, Ia
In truth it seems that thore naver was a
period when SC few masters nf music lived
Modern music may be said to have begun
with the Netherland school OF composers
in ll25. The school lasted for two centuries.
and in that time lived such masters as
Ockeghcm Hobrecht, Brunei. Josnuin
DIES Pres, Wilaer., di Rore. Arcadelt
Swelncli and Orlando Lasso, whose music
is still beautiful to our ears, when sung a.
the Musical Art Society knows how TO sing
it.
Before Iasso died the great Palestrina
had given his masterpieces to the world
and founded that splendid Roman school,
which was continued by Nannini Vittoria,
Anerio and Allegri In Venice the seed
sown by Willaert had bossomed in the
works of the Gabrieli-. Iegrenzi and Iotti.
In 1900 began the long line of operate
masters, and at the very outset in 1908
a work Of real genius was found in Monte
verle's "Orfeo." Meanwhile the instru-
mental players were rising and the school
Of clavier performers soon produced it's
Domenico Scarlatti, son OF Alessandro
Scarlatt, himself man OF extraordinary
talent and founder of the great Neapolitan
school of opera writer's.
Two years after the birth in 1883 of Do
menico Scaratti, Handel and Bach were
born and the mighty procession Of German
masters began. Haydn, Mozart, Bee
tho ven, Schubert. Weber, Sohumann,
Brahms and Wagner brought the line OF
progress down to 1897, when Brahms died,
and the German line apparently ran out.
In all that stretch Of time from 1925 TO al.
most the end of the nineteenth century
there was never a lustl UNI In which there
was no great master.
1t is idle to say that the music Of the COM
posers of the golden age Of church counter
point has only historical interest now.
One has only to hear it to be convinced
Of its genuine great ness and OF its possess
sion Of the unquenchable spark OF genius
So long az men sit at the feet OF the in visi-
bic and seek to pour out the emotions Of
their hearts in song, so long will this music
live and Lift the thoughts Of humanity
to higher planes than any music written
for the sanctuary in later times except
that Of Bach 1t is not concert music
and it certainly has not those priceless
elements Of popularity" which occupy
such high position in the esteem Of the
masses.
The masterpieces Of Josquin and Will
laert and Lasso and PalestrinA are not
hawked about the country by travelling
orchestras nor by brass bands with atti-
tudin2ing conductors. But they live "a
masterpieces none the.less and strike their
fame OF conviction into every artistic
mind.
| For the rest doubt offers no obstacles.
Handel satisfies the masses with his
Messiah" and Bach keeps his hold on the
| concert hall with his violin pieces and .
| few of his fugues. Occasionally the st.
Matthew Passion. or some other OF his
great works. is given. and ever and anon
some such strange and moving spe ctaole as
or the christmas Oratorio" is thrown
upon the pallid screen Of q musical season.
But no one questi ons the mastership Of
| these men. and in the presence Of the music
of Bach all the drivellings OF the little
groundings Of contemporaneous Germany
are as the prattle OF children beside the
utterances Of Socrates.
There is substantial ground for believing
that the next composer who shows genuine
mastership and ascends by divine right
of genius to a seat In the august senate Of
the lords OF song will be an opener OF wholly
new paths. The lessons Of musical history
period, in which the intensely intellectual
abstraction OF the fugal principle was
worked out to the limit OF its fecundity,
most certainly came to an end with Bach.
FuRues have been made since the day
of the author Of the .Kunst der Fuge,' but
succeeded in breathing single semblance
of individuality into music Of this typo,
and even his work owes ite power to it's
obedience to laws firmly established before
his time.
The writer's of the classic period gave
Ills the fully developed sonata form, which
embodied within itself the Fundamental
principles Of harmonic, as distinguished
from polyphonic music There is, TO be
sure, nothing to prevent future composers
from using the classic sonata. For many
high and inspiring purposes OF musical
art it cannot be excelled: But 1t 10 not
wholly suited TO the proclamation OF the
message, to the utterance OF the individual
communication, which every composer
since Beethoven seems to think it the chief
purpose OF music to give forth.
Beethoven himself found it advisable
to make certain notifications in the out
ward features Of the form In order to give
it a greater pliability. Schumann went
still further in his union Of all four move
ments OF the d minor symphony and his
employment OF the same themes In different
parts Of the work, Later composers have
followed his lead Iiiszt's symphonic
poem" may be set aside for the moment
as separate branch Of form. but we are
all familiar with the programme note which
tells us that the composer in order To give
the work organic unity has introduced
the theme Of the opening movement again
in the finale" This is done over and over