The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-23
ment for the extension Of Hapsburg rule
In the Balkan peninsula NJ. WI.
Lavignsc's "NIusi cal Eiueation."

Albert lAvignac. professor of harmony
in the Conservative at Paris, is a man Of
broad mind. Seated on his throne of state
he calmly SUI veys the entire field Of music
and appropriates it as his own. Is there a
sacred corner OF Bavaria. known as Bay
reuth, where men and women sit at the feet
of the daughter of List and hear music
dramas filed with giants. dragons, mer-
maids, magic drinks and enchanted castles?
Thither he turns his gaze, and as it rests
peacefully upon the animated scene. says
to himself: This also will make clear to
the world" Did any man ever compose
anything else, or play on any inst rument or
sing or write history or a technical treatise !?
He cannot escape the eagle eye Of the ami
able LAvignac, in whose Music and
Musicians" the entire history. biography
theory and practice of music are COM
pounded in one deadly dose.
And now this omnivorous mind has seized
upon an all-absorbing topic in his Musical
Education" Cd. Appleton 4 Coz. Not a
few hints, not a single department not a
common or vulgar fraction Of the whole
subject does the cheerful Iavignac assail
but with that ndomita bic courage which
animates a II his attempts to write up all that
exists and leave nothing for any one else
to say he hurls his universal knowledge
at ,ls as who should declare: "L'education
musicale, c'est moi"
Would YOU know whether music has yet
reached that state OF definite communica-
ton which justifes it's being called Ian
guage? Ask Lavignac. Would you know
whether your darling child is musical
genius and ought TO Ike sent to the Paris
Conservatoire' Ask Iavignac. Would
you know whether your homely daughter
whose every matrimonial prospect pleases'
but to whom man is always vile, can triumph
| over fate by means Of her voice and become
| a grand opera star? Ask Lavignac.
| This good man has provided a vertable
rdde mecum for all persons who wish to
know anything about how to arrive in the
| fragile world Of music Undoubtedly this
ia the directory for which ten thousand
students Of the divine art have been wait
ing. What a food Of light for example
this erudite author throws upon the art
| Of singing How he overturns the idols
| OF history and knocks the feet of clay into
thin and smoky dust! Read this:
-In the beautiful age OF the Italian be
cdnfo, when the singers mission was very
different from the conception Of to-day
| to study role consisted in adjusting II
to ones own measure by almost entirel,
remakng the vocal part 80 as to show OF
the eminent virtuosity Of the interpreter.
Does not that fully explain how 1t wa
that Caffarelli and Farinelli and Senesin'
were able to move their hearers and ever
one another to tears? All they had to dc
was to be themselves and 10! the trick wa
done. Lavignac's book is crowded from
cover to cover with valuable information
like this, and those who do not read it viii
miss the opportunity to find out a grea
many things hitherto unsupported.
But what will this industrious encyclo-
padist do next? What has he left hmsel
to write? He has now on more than ont
occasion covered the entire field OF musica
Information, and the horrible fear is grow
ing that before long Lavignac's occupation
will be gone. How an expectant world
grown accustomed 60 frequent plethora
volumes, graphing nobly with everything
in sight, ia to endure such condition Ii
something which even the Imagination
cannot contemplate. But it does not seen
to worry Lavignac.