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

haps this Is but another way of show
ing that all music is subjective. The
word subjective has a pretty metaphys-
ical twist. which makes an essay as
sumo a learned look, but It is not really
formidable.
rs all music subjective? Does its in
depreciation depend on the conception of
the performer? or should there be GER
tain established facts about each com
position TO which every performer
should show respect? When the ques-
tions are nut thus. il seems almost i'm
possible to avoid a single answer, name
ly. that a piece of music cannot be
changed to suit the whims of all it's as
sailants. To be sure. there is the emf
nent example Of Shakespeare's Ham
let
when a musician falls TO experiment
ing with a composition, his first eccen-
tricities deal with the tempt.
The determination OF the proper rate
is of the gravest Importance, as any
person can at once demonstrate for him
self. Take any familiar pathetic air and
play or sing il twice as fast as you have
habitually heard Il. and you Will at once
perceive that its entire nature is
changed. Conversely. perform a lively
piece much too slowly and it viii prob
ably become sad or solemn.
'Of all compositions in the world Bee
thoven's 'Erolca' symphony ought to be
we'll known. Its tempt ought surely by
this time to be established. Neverthe-
less no two conductors appear to agree
about II. Theodore Thomas certainly
did not direct it as Leopold Damrosch
did. and neither Of them as Walter Dam
rosch does. Emil Paur's reading differ
ed wholly from that of Wilhelm Gericke
and both of them treated the work as
Arthur Nikisch did not, while Anton
Seidl. after playing the first movement
as II it were the Beautiful Blue Dan
ube' waltz. took the scherzo so fast that
the horn players could not play the.dif
ficult trio.
Mr.. Nikisch not long ago conducted
the 'Eroica' IN Berlin. where he is the di
rector of the Philharmonic concerts, and
some of the critics fell upon his temp
tooth and nail. There was almost as
great a disturbance of the esthetic at
mosphere as there was in this town
when he disclosed his conception Of the
work at Chickering Hall through the
admired medium OF the Boston Sym
phony Orchestra.
"Some respectable persons of CON-
Portable temperament were grievously
disturbed because Mr.. Nikisch failed &c
bow to tradition. Men OF excellent in
formation and conservative judgment de-
claTed that he had no right to be or
iginaI. The 'Eroica' had always been
played IN a certain way. and it was &C
centric. yea, even discourteous, to play
il in any other way. The old way was
the right way, OF course, because il was
old. II was the way in which Beethoven
himself would have liked to hear his
symphony conducted. No doubt those
who felt thus would have sympathized
ent at that performance of Beethoven's
eighth symphony. about which Richard
Wagner chats so pleasantly in his admir-
able volume, ON Conducting He says:
Now the late Capellmeister Refs
siger. OF Dresden, once conducted this
symphony there, and I happened TO b,
present at the performance. together
with Mendelssotin. We talked about the
dilemma Just described tthe difficulty o.
making certain passages intelligiblt
when played at the customary tempo)
and its proper solution; concerning
which told Mendelssohn that believed
I had convinced Reissiger, who had
promised that he would take the tempo
slower than usual. Mendelssohn per
fectly agreed with me. We listened. Tn,
third movement began and l was terri
fed on hearing precisely the old Lander
tempo; but before / could give vent Il
my annoyance Mendelssohn smiled and
pleasantly nodded his head as II to say
Now it's all right. Bravo" So my
terror changed to establishment. Refs
siger. for reasons which l shall discus.
presently, may not have been so verl
much 10 blame for persisting ia the oil,
tempo; but Mendelssohn's indifference
/ with regard to this queer artistic contre
temps raised doubts In my mind whether
he saw any distinction and difference il
the case at all. ! faucied myself stand
ing before an abyss OF supernciality-;
veTitable void
"Of course. the root Of the differenc,
Of opinion between Wagner and Men.
delssohn was a difference as to Bee.
thoven's designs. A similar disagreement
gave rise 10 the confusion OF opinion.
about Mr.. Nikisch's reading OF th.
'Eroica.' Every living soul among tn,
warning critics would assent TO IN,
proposition that any reading which VIC
lated the wishes OF Beethoven was in
defensible. The question to be decide,
In these days is: What were the wishe,
OF Beethoven"
There can be no dispute that IN,
fundamental element IN a proper inter
probation Is a correct tempo. The temp
Of Beethoven's symphonies are estab
lished too largely by tradition. II l.
true that metrOnome marks are to b.
found on every score. but that Bee
thoven placed all Of them there has bee
disputed by an author to whom entirel.
too much credence Is given. This au
thor IS SCHNEIDER. whose biographica
sketch Of the composer may be :oun
IN The Life Of Beethoven edited L.
Ignace Moscheles and published IN thi
country by the DitsOns.
After quoting Mathcson's diCtin
that a movement must be taken a littl
more slowly by a large chorus or or
chestra than by a small one, Schindle
/ Saws that this fact Is too fTeQuenfl