Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-24
Music and Musical Notes

EDWARD GRIBG, THE MORSE COM
POSER.
Henry T. Finck. the musical critic, writes
sympathetic comment on the art and
works of the Norwegian musician
Until now the intense and beautiful life
Of Edward Grieg has gone without bio
graphical comment in English Indeed,
aside from Schjeldenys life, written in
Norwegian, and some encyclopedia notes
in various languages, no photographic rec
ord of the man and his work has been
made.
Now, however, from the pen of the well
known musical critic, Mr.. H T. Finck, and
from the press Of John Lane appears
Edward Grieg," a biography OF a sympa-
theue character, and as nearly complete
The book bears-it may be worth while
noting-a dedication ITO Edward Mac
who has been more influenced by Edward
Grieg than by any other master"
Grieg, of mixed Scotch and Norwegian
stock, and Of family whose lines had
been for two or three generations asso-
ciated with the consular service, was a
delicate, sensitive child, and not an apt
scholar, and he grew to manhood domi-
mated by one great passlon-that Of music
and fighting one persistent foe-ill health.
He married his cousin, who resembled him
In face and in temperament who pos
music, who has been the most moving In
terpreter of his songs, and with whom he
spirit such as too few artists know. One
child only, who died in babyhood, came
to these child-desiring parents, and this
sorrow has given to their lives It's acutest
touch of poignancy.
Living In great seclusion in the far
north, these musicians knew at first some
thing of poverty, but as Griegs achieve
ments brought recognition from his truly
paternal government and the production
of his music in concerts given by him.
self and otherwise, brought monetary re-
turns, the Griegs built them a charming
villa a few miles from Bergen, on a wooded
height above a beautiful lake, and here
In he dgf Of arda of a nd
Iceland poppies' the now venerable COM
poser does his work.
Mr.. Flnck has taken pains to make clear
the temperament, the enthusiasm and &C.
centricities of Grieg, but his chief concern
after all, has been to place the music OF
the great Norwegian where ne is pro-
foundly convinced that it belongs. The
first encouragement received by Grieg came
from Ole Bull, and 1t came in the morning
of Grieg's life.
Grieg writes: when he cole Bulb heard
I had composed, music l had to go to the
piano; all my entreaties were in vain
cannot now understand what ole Bull could
find at that time in my juvenile pieces
But he was quite serious, and talked
quietly to my parents. The matter Of
able to me, for suddenly ole Bull came
TO me, shook me in his own way, and
said: You are TO go to Leipzig and become
fectionately and l understood just one
thing-that good fairy was stroking my
cheek, and that | was happy. And my
ton or hesitation; everything was ar
ranged, and II seemed to me the most
natural thing in the world"
OF the music which was the outcome Of
musical scholarship and industry plus thu
heaven gift Of genius Tschaikowsky wrote
What charm, what inimitable and rict
musical imagery! What warmth and pas
SIGN in his melodic phrase what teeminG
vitality in his harmony; what original anC
beauty in the turn of his piQuant an(
ingenious modulations and rhythms, and II
all the rest what interest, novelty and in
deDendence!"
And Ibsen paid Grleg the perfect compli
for that composition which the north coun
try people regard as lbsen's masterpiece
Peer Gynt'-music which more than an!
other one achievement established Grleg
place among the masters
Mr.. Finck speaks with feeling or ''th
absurd myths that have for decades becl
handed down from book 10 book and news
ably the delusion that Grieg did little NOR
than transplant to his garden the wild flow
ers of Norwegian folk music-a deluslo
that has shamefully retarded the recogni
ton of his rare originality; for, as matte
of fact, ninety-fve hundredths of his musl
is absolutely and in every detail his owl
No one familiar with only those works O
his which are often heard has a right I
call me too enthusiastic; but ] am quit
willing to be called 'uncritical;' for III
older I get the more / become convince
that the alleged critical faculty OF our tim
is a modern disease, a species Of phylloxeri
threatening the best works OF genius"
The musician will be glad 70 know tina
Mr. Ffnck's volume contains technical dt
scriptions OF some Of Grieg's least playe
and most mastery COMPOSITIONS.
MARY LEARNED,