The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-16

proceeded to evolve from It highly finished
system Of Tepetitions Of thematic ideas
and founded. IA this was, on the device
Of imitation, Il became canonlc. From
strict canon TO a free polyphony was but
a step, but beneath free polyphony lay
the same principle Of imitation in the
end composers reached the full-bloWn
fugue and in the hands Of Handel and bach
this became the typical form OF sacred
masterpieces.
The fact that the fugue and Gothic archi-
lecture, both characteristic emblems OF
the Church. resemble one another In their
welding OF a multiplicity Of details into
one art work Of perfect organism Ia truth
Of art and not Of ethics. 1t has no bearing
whatever upon morals.
The fugue would have been a fugue-
the highest exemplifcation Of scientific
elaboration in tones-H il had never been
utilized except in secular music, though It
Is perfectly clear that it would never have
attained 30 elevated an artistic character
II It had not been the chosen medium OF
expression OF men who were devout In
spirit and seeking the Hottest ideals,
Religion has benefited musical art In
more ways than one, but II has not con-
verted It into a moral force. Music is
moral only when the words which accom-
pany It tell us that II is. There Is a superb
fugue in the final movement Of Mosarts
Jupiter symphony, but what ethical
significance has III What doctrine does 1t
preach, what tenet does 1t inouloatei
It may be answered that such music In
uplifting. OF that there can Be no question:
but Ii every state Of mental or emotional
exaltation absolutely and indiSputably TO
the betterment Of the soul1
The composer Of to-day who site down
70 write a religious work first surveys the
achievements Of the past II he considers
the passion Of Christ he cannot put out
Of mind the masterpieces Of Bach. II be
Is tempted TO tell again the story OF the
coming OF the Messiah he will not forget
the immortal work Of Handel
He has a choice Of styles. He may elect
to follow the Italian model, as Handel did,
or he may choose the German model. as
left by Bach. But In the end he will have
to adopt the apparatus Of his predecessors,
and when he desires to rise TO the loftiest
heights Of religious expression he will
unquestionably use the forms which have
for centuries been associated with religious
thought
These forms cams first because they
were fundamental, and the patient delivers
into the nature Of music In the beginning
could not discover anything but what was
elemental. Music GOULD not begin with the
orchestral phantasms Of Richard Strauss
and work back to the capella masses Of
Palestrina. The Roman father had to live
before the Saxon son.
These FUNDAMENTAL forms became typical
of religious thought In music simply because
the men. who discovered them were priests.
and were seeking In music a means, not An
end = Hence. when Edward Egar sets out
10 write oh a work as The Apostles he.
perforce, utilities some Of the old forms
which men havss learned TO associate with
the sanctuary:ald religious subjects,
Turning from music designed for religious |
worship we find ourselves confronted by
the vast body Of secular composition, Of
which that belonging to the lyric stage lie
regarded by many as possessing certain |
ethical significance. Here, indeed, the
ethics for the most part seem TO tend toward !
evil The domain Of the opera is a part OF !
the dramatic world, and in It blaze fierce
elemental passions, which wreck humanity !
and make the tragedies Of life. Surely, |
this music has moral OF immoral quality.
But we have already seen that love |
song and a prayer might be the same in
melody. All, but that was In the old days |
before emotional truth was sought in music |
Of the stage, when Il was enough to mako |
q pretty tune and 20 have II beautifully |
sung. In such works as the mighty music |
dramas Of Wagner does not music reach a |
glorious level where truth and beauty are /
twins7
Well, here again We must discriminate
carefully. The drama Of Tristan und |
Isolde ia the MODEST embodiment Of the
art Of Wagner. 1t Is the most Satisfactory
reduction Of musical expression TO tie ele-
menta. In Il the emotional basis u broad,
simple and clearly married.. Zach act haI
a we'll defined development Of dramatic
feeling, and this is set forth IN musical terms
which are little short Of the articulate foroo
Of speech.
Are they 10 be found In the themAtio ideas
or In their treatmenti Not at all II there
10 any ethical lesson In Tristan und Isolde
Il is In the story, and the text tells the story
All and the whole that the music does or can
do IL to intensity the power Of the text by
providing . lyric defamation which raises
the speech Of the play 10 It's highest power
and an orchestral background which paints
In wondrous tones the emotions OF the
drama, Divorce the music from the text
and you have beauty and even eloquenoe,
but no proclamation OF a doctrine.
II music IL a language at all ii IL a Ian
guage Of emotion. Intellectual processes
cannot be described or embodied In It.
II Is possible TO express passionate feeling
IN music, but not principles. To possess
Sthical qualities music should have the
power 10 proclaim rules Of conduct or at
my rate TO influence conduct.
The former Ia indisputably out Of the
question. Whatever influence music may
have on conduct, It certainly cannot be said
10 appeal or make any communication 10
he moral perceptions. IL may touch
he emotions, but the result Is invariably
nothing but emotional disturbance
The story Of the "Kreutzer' sonata, as
old by Toistoy, is generally misunderstood.
L certainly was not the mild and gentle
melodies OF Beethoven that led the man
md woman in this novel 10 wander from
he path OF rectitude. These same persons
~.