New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-13

ing are only Influenced by this sou~ sd de-
foreign c1trs tnahge a land and the influence Of
Most of this is in effect what this writer has
.Ity said in explaining not only Dr. Dvor-
AK attitude toward negro music but his attitude
~ national music in general In his works
VI original creation we can recall but single
quotation from the national or folk music of the
'He Oh Hussite song in the HUI
0itHAa overture; yet the Czech spirit breathes
through many Of his COMPOSITIONS The dues-
lion raised by the statement that there is home
SICKNESS IN the Largo of the symphony has no
oeaIllS on the question st issue. Inconsistencies
IS not confined to the SIav in America How
ever Qet II be taken for what it is worth I'm the
mind Of each reader DR.. Dvorak said speciical-
" that he had found the inspiration for the
SLOW movement in mood called up by reading
Longfellow's "Hiawatha." and he very aptly
characterized the second section Of the move
ment as delineative of the awakening Of life at
dawn on the prairie. That he read "Hiawatha"
Gin a German translation and was so greatly
interested in II that he contemplated turning It
into opera this writer can testify from his
own word Of mouth
But Mr.. Ritter not satisfied with the tes-
timony OF Dvoraks sons. He wrote to other
Bohemians. and very precious are their con-
tributions to the controversy. Mr.. Miloslav Ry-
bak did not think it likely that DR.. Dvorak had
read the French authors. He couldn't for one
thing. had no desire for another. time 10
hunt melodies in them while composing for still
another. Then he made this astounding state
nlent: 7 have seen the sketch Of the New
World symphony The symphony is all there.
ritten with outburst on two pages Of paper
and sketChed two slaves. The orchestration
is well indicated under the chords that even
If the symphony had not been written out It
would almost be- possible to complete II from
the sketch" Prodigious condensation But had
It all been sketched on one sheet of paper It
would not have made the music more Czech
than American, which. says Mr. Hale was the
! burden Of the testimony of all the correspond
ents. One Of these correspondents contributes
a programme for the symphony which II is
safe to predict. VIII appear hereafter in the de-
Hghtful programme books which Mr. Hale
makes for the Boston Orchestra's concerts:
IN the New World" symphony YOU see the
Czech peasant confronted with the rush and din
OF the feversh life In great city. To understand
is necessary 10 know something about the Czech
people Here IS an analogous fact You
q-@'.''eu with OVoraks Requiem the text Is
surely the most international of any text within
the world; now the music IS excellent Czech music;
It expresses exactly the feelings of Bohemian
peasant during the mass for the dead
To this must be added the conclusions of the
laborious Ritter. as summed UP by Mr.. Hale:
!. The New World" symphony expresses the
state Of soul Of an uncultured Czech in America,
the state OF g. homesick soul. remembering his
native land and stupefed BY the din and hustle Of
a new lie.
2. The uncultured Czech is born musician.
master of his trade He is interested IN the only
traces Of music that he finds in America Negro
airs, not copied, adapted, initiated, tint slightly
two or three passages of the symphony without
injury 10 its Czech character.
3. The symphony leaped, Minerva-like, from the
head Of this uncultured genius. As nearly all his
other compositions, except the operas. ii was not
stimulated by any foreign assistance, by any con-
sutatiOn Of authors, by quotations, reading, etc
especially the case with Brahms
!. The national Czech feeling in this work. quick
ened BY Inconsistencies IS 50 marked that It is rec
ognized throughout Bohemia, by the learned and
by the humhest
Czechish feelings expressed in American
idOms. Dr. Dvorak, while pointing the way to
his American pupils. which he hoped they would
follow in developing a national school for them
selves, did not deny his own nationality. He
never said he did; he never tried TO. But why
does Mt. Hale chortle in his headlines? "Dvorak
Thinking OF His Dear Bohemia When He Wrote
From the New World Cannot Be Said to Have
an American Basis Even II the evidence were
competent. does it disprove anything that DR..
Dvorak or his friends who knew his mind on the
subject said about the symphony? H. E y.