The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-05

The violin has probably figured more
prominently in fiction than any other
musical instrument. Next to the vio-
lin the organ has been most favored
and after the organ, the piano. The
latest musical novel, however, is not
written about any of these instruments
but about the cello. The name of the
story is The Pastime of Eternity"
The hero, forced to be a dilettante on
account of his wealth, is, nevertheless,
passionately devoted to the contralto-
voiced instrument. He spends much of
his time practieing it in his room while
a distressed butler, whose taste is not
sufficiently developed to permit him to
appreciate the higher harmonies,
stands guard outside The hero's wife
is even less appreciative than the but
Ter, although better educated. While
her husband fiddles, she finds relief
from the monotony in society. But
there is kindred soul who shares the
musicians devotion to the cello, the
wife is killed in an automobile acei-
dent, the hero is welded to the girl
who experiences the same thrills he ex-
periences when he is playing his be-
loved instrument and there is a most
fervid climax
The severest critics Of the so-called
musical novel are musicians. Many
reasons are given for this, among 9TH
ers that such books invariably convey
the impression that the music merely
affords an opportunity for the express
sion of exaggerated emotions; that the
books never present music as a sane
and highly developed art. Perhaps,
however, the writer's attitude toward
the musician he himself has created
has something to do with the musi-
clans dislike of the musical novel. If
the hero is a professional musician, he
invariably receives a fortune before
the story is concluded which enables
him to give up his place in the or
chestra, or close the piano or put away
his violin. Now, while it is comforting
to know that the musician and the girl
he loves are to live in affluence for the
remainder of their lives, musicians who
reverence their art above all things
doubtless feel that a slight is implied
in such a denouement. But heretofore
the writer of the musical novel had
only one alternative. If he could not
have his hero come into a fortune as in
The First VIOLIN" then he must have
him go mad, as in 1.-The Fifth String"
Miss Lloyd, who has written 1.-The Pas
time of Eternity" has ignored prece-
dent. The hero wins his love and con-
tinues to play the cello. Whether her
musical novel will win the approval of
professional musicians remains to be
seen. Certainly the author has done
her best in the matter of descriptions
The following one of duet between
the cello and violin, the latter played
by a talented housemaid, gives a very
good idea of her talent in this line.
The voices of the two burst out to-
gether like two sudden angels and fair
ly swept the heavens with their song.
All the lighter glory of the violin play
ed around the strong contralto Splendor
Of the cello's voice now lost in the
BuFging volume of tone and now ring
ing out, high, clear and sweet above
the softer cadenceS. It was the song of
centuries that came from the magic of
their touch, the song of the love of the
stronger for it's gentler mate of the
weaker for its master. In and about
WoVe the two voices, each the perfect
complement of the other-tWiSting and
weaving, parting and returning draw
ing all the glowing colors of the world
into the splendid web. And then the
voices ceased together in a soft melt
ing diminuendo that made them seem
merely floating away into a distance
too far for mortal ears. 1t seemed the
glorious song was still pouring out its
passionate purity somewhere within
Its armament, that it could never end,
but merely pass from hearing, as it
had so wonderfully swept into it,