Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-14

hard work, sings a difficult and very try
ing aria. 1t is done we'll, and the critic so
pronounces his verdict.
Now comes another. a singer of inexperi-
ence, Of good intention, but insufficient
groundwork, who makes a credltable at
tempt at the work, but does not reach, nor
search for, the inner life OF the aria.
Is it just to praise the latter for what
she tried to do? Is it not unjust to the
other one? 1t is kind, it is generous, 1t is
encouraging, IL you will, but tell us, is it
Just?
Take another case. Miss B spends
years OF earnest toll and a great deal of
money, and nerve force and energy. and
denies herself many enjoyments. so that
she may get to the place where she will
make you listen to a Beethoven sonata
with pleasure.
Another. Miss c. studies a few months
or a year or two, and attempts to play the
same work at a public recital.
Enter the critic. He has written that
Miss b did some very clever work and
so on.
Now what of Miss c.? Her work was
poor, she read the notes correctly, per-
haps, but her time was not correct, her
tone was utterly lacking in quality, she
iloo lO dlldOCo VI CAPitSblphg sic ldiANu
utterly to grasp the soul-thought Of the
work, but she did lust fine. considering"
She did the best she could. She did not
practice enough. to be sure. and she is
not ready for that big work yet, and she
has not developed as much as she might,
but after all she could do lots worse.
Now, IL the critic does not say some more
or less unpleasant things about such a
performance where does the sense of justice
come in? Is there any Justice to Miss
B.? And should Miss c. receive the
same encouragement and praise that Miss
B received for her very hard work?
Must Miss B. have injustice so that
Miss c. may have ~justice3
This is a point which the public too
seldom looks at, and yet the critics are
confronted by it all the time. The critics
must at times say things which are not
sweet, but which, taken in the proper
spirit, are mighty wholesome, And If they
are taken. and means are used to mend the
matter, the critics are eager to recognize
the improvement and comment thereon.
But the critics should not be blamed for
trying to administer justice.
1t is not the part of the critics to look
only for good points, any more than 1t is
to look only for bad points, not a bit. 1t
is their business to administer justice, even
and square, to look over the matter fairly
and squarely from one end to the other
and render just judgment-just to the good,
to the learned, to the artistic. as we'll as
to the bad. the unlearned and the I'M
Another point which is sometimes over
looked by the not-too-careful reader IRE
member. dearest of all readers-you who
want to agree but cannot-this Is not a
scolding article; it is a plain. simple heart
to-heart talk as before suggested: the
writer is in the best of humors, having
Just come from a delightful dinner)-and
that other point lies here: The critics are
bound to take into consideration the COM
poser and his work. Justice again enters.
Not only must the performer have justice,
and the audience, and the other perform
ers who do the same thing, but the COM
poser is also a party to the case.
Those Of us who criticize musical events
for the press are bound. by ar unwritten
law, TO be the -perma-
hence for the masters who are not here to
defend themselves. Perhaps they are dead,
II so. all the more binding is the duty.
What a responsibility We have to feel when
we realize that we are retained to look
after the interests OF Bach, Beethoven,
Handel, Haydn. Mendelssohn. Brahms,
| Scnul1ann, ScnuDeFl, dTltB anu 30 On II
makes one shudder and grow faint atthe
thought OF 1t, and one involuntarily says
to himself: Have / been looking after
those interest, or have l been unfaithful to
my duty?"
You, gentle readers, who are not writing
for the press on musical matters. have not
taken upon yourselves a public trust: you
are not obliged to come out over your own
signature in the paper and say things about
the presentation OF the works of the mast
ers, which writing and which signature
will be on the permanent files Of the Pub
lie Library for the future generations to
see and read and judge us by. 1t is a
serious matter this-"With what judgment
ye Judge ye shall be judged"
Now, in view Of that. knowing that the
critics must always bear the thought OF
the composer well in mind, and the great
ness Of his work, won't you be a little len
lent towards the critics who furnish you
with musical comment from day to day,
and from week to week, knowing the fact
that for them is not the pleasant task OF
writing pretty things about all aspirants
for public honors, regardless of fitness OF
preparedness. and regardless of the respect
due the master and his masterpieces. be II
song, symphony. opera, %oratorio, sonata
instrumental solo or whatever IL may be7
Deal gently with the critics. They are
human. They make mistakes. But they
are all. each in his OF her own way, trying
to promote the welfare OF music in this
community. THOMAS J. KELLY.