The Washington times., 1903-06-21
TODAY and It's Music.
w. j. Henderson Writes Of
This as a Transitional Age
and Looks Backward With
Longing.

own face in a brook. After all he does
not see ii as others see IL, and if he
breathe little uoOn the surface Of the
water. he dstorts the reflection OF his
own features. still. we are but human.
and we are. therefore nightly interest
ing TO ourselves We cannot refrain from
studying our own features in the mir
ror. nor can we abstain from specula-
ton about our own time.
Those who think about music must
often wonder whether We have any great
composers Just now. We are obliged to
confess that We cannot perceive any,
though We are harassed with doubts in
regard to Richard Strauss. Whether the
future will call him great man or not,
is Just what we cannot determine. We
have the comfort of his own assurance.
but that does not greatly assist US.
Strauss seems TO have no doubts. When
he wrote "A Hero's Life he carefully
identified his hero by introducing in the
finale the Identifying motives of his own
principal compositions. These were his
heros works OF peace"
Who Knew They Were Great?
But It does not follow that q man
is great composer because he thinks
so himself To be sure, most of the
great masters have had at least ink
lings OF their greatness. Bach seems
to stand alone in his complete ignor-
ance of his own Importance. If, how
ever, he had possessed an applauding
public, and few industrious parasites
in the shape Of German Journalists
to ring hyphenated changes on his
achievement he. too, might have be-
Gene a megalomaniac.
Handel, on the other hand. was not
permitted to entertain any doubts.
London clawed at his feet, and sent
UP such a perfume of adulation to his
nostrils that he must have been more
than human to doubt that he was pen
ming music which was 20 enlighten
the world and make glad the wilder
ness.
Mozart was. also told about his own
greatness, and Vienna did not allow
Papa Haydn TO Ianguish ia ignorance
Even Beethoven, who was less troubled
by public adulatfon than some others.
had his own ideas about himself, and
he betrayed them when he answered
the boastful land proprietor" with his
crushing brain proprietor"
Old Music and Good Music.
In truth. it seems that there never was
a period when 50 few masters OF music
lived. Modern music may be said to
have begun with the Netherland school
o. composers in 1925. The school lasted
Tor two centuries, and in that time lived
such masters as Ockeghem. Hobrecht.
Brunei. Josquin des Pres, WiIlaert. dl
Rore, Arcadelt, Swelinck and Orlando
Lasso. whose music is still beautiful to
our ears. when sung as the Musical Art
Society knows how to sing it.
Before Lasso died the great PaIestrina
had given his masterpieces TO the world
and founded that splendid Roman school.
which WAS continued by Nanini. vittoria.
Anerio and AIlegri. In Venice the seed
gown by Wiilaert had blossomed in the
works Of the Gabrielis, Legrenzi. and
Lott. In 1900 began the long line OF
operate masters. and at the very outset
I'm 1908 a work of real genius was found
in Monteverde's "Orfeo." Meanwhile the
instrumental players were rising and the
school of clavier performers soon pro-
duced its Bomenico Scarlatti, son OF
AlossandrO Scarlatu, himself a man OF
extraordinary talent and founder OF tho
great Nespolitan school Of opera writers
Two years after tho birth. I'm 1889 o
Domenico Scarlatti. Handel and Bacl
were born. and the mighty procession @
German masters began. Haydn. Mozart
Beethoven. Schubert. Weber. Scnumann
l,-,..-l,. 49,. H.
Of progress down TO 1897. when Brahm
died. and the German line apparent.
ran out In all that stretch OF tim
from 1925 10 almost the end OF the nine
tecnth century there was never a lus
.rum in which there was no great master
Masters for All Tine.
II is idle 70 say that the music Of th
composers of the golden age Of churc
oounterDoint has only a historical in
tercst now. One has only 20 hear # q
be convinced OF its genuine creatures
and Of its possession Of the unqucnch
able spark Of genius. So long as me
sit al The feet Of the invisible aud see
10 pour out the emotions OF their heart
In song. 80 long vill this music live an
lift the thoughts OF humanity TO highe
planes than any music written for n
sanctuary in later times except that q
Bach. II is not concert music and il Ger
tainly has not those priceless "eie
ments Of popularity" which occupy sue
high position IN the esteem OF tn
masses.
The masterpieces OF Josquin and VII
laert and Lasso and Palostrina are no
hawked a5out the country by-traveIin
orchestras nor by brass bands with at
titudinizing conductors But they Hv
as masterpieces meme the less and strik
their fame Of conviction into every sr
tistic mind.
For the rest doubt offers no obstacle.
Handel satisfies the masses with hi
messiah" and Bach keeps his hold o
the concert hall with his violin piece
and q few OF his fugUes. OCCASIONAL
the est Matthew Passion" or som
other Of his great works, is given, On
ever and anon some such strange an