New-York tribune., 1908-03-29

Biographies of living musicians not often sat
fsfactory. II IS sometimes just little cold blooded
TO incorporate in the permanent form OF a book the
free discussion that is entirely appropriate in a
newspaper or magazine essay. touching man $
limitations well as his achievements Not too
frequent is the biogra pher who can present that
personal side of his subject readers demand
and also the balanced and judicious appraisal of his
subjects art. In the John Lane Company's series
entitled Living Masters Of Music" there have
lately appeared two columes. both Of which illus
trate tie difficulty above mentioned. Edward A.
Baughan's 'lgnaZ Jan Paderewsai,' is written with
lauddble freedom from bias. but from the point Of
view OF who has not come into direct contact
with the man who is his theme Not does Mr.
Baushan speak with first hand knowledge. so to
say. OF the pianst's personality. The generally ac-
cessible facts are repeated. and there copious
quotations from Mr. Finck's "Paderewsh and His
Art and from newspaper interviews. nut the only
item which the author discloses as his own con
tribut!on is the statement that Mr.. Paderewski in
addition 10 his other accomplishments is a first
rate swimmer. Mr.. Baughan's method fails To inl-
part an effect OF authenticity. and this failure is
aggravated by such giaring error as one finds on
page -. in the statement that the vocal score Of
"Manru' has not been published. The vocal score
in German was published by Bote & Bach in Ber-
lin. and Schirmer published 'Manru' in 1901 with
English version. made by II. E Krehbiel The
latter is included in the European catalogues.
Again. Mr.. Baughan makes too much OF a mystery
of the for the extraordinary emotional in
fuence of Mr.. Paderewskl's playing. He does not
emphasize the function of the creative element IN
such executive art this he omits TO take ac-
count of the unfang public response TO what i'm
art is the sincere and inevitable voicing of an
irrepressible need for expression. The creative
mind is always of recognition.
The other book OF the Living Masters of Music"
series is Mrs. Franz Lebichs Claude Achille De-
bussy. Here there is a closer sympathy between
hiographer and subject, though not much is told of
the personal life story OF the composer of 'Peleas
ct Melisande." For the composers opinions and
ideals the author has drawn on the rich store OF
Dehussys critical writings From these she
has made some happy selections. especially to
the musical arabesques'' of Bach page s.. Mrs
Liebich seeks TO identify Debussy with the So
called irnpressionists in modern painting there
is considerable justification for this. Her compari-
Of Debussy with Edouard Manet Ton page 10, is
not happy; probably she meant Claude Monet. II
may be added in this connection that Monet and
his followers have sometimes allowed their pleas
in the exercise of their medium of ex-
preston to overweight their critical judgment-cer-
tain of their pictures show little mpelling force
of idea or of structural composition that their
raison detre seems to be the desire to speak
out of rich vocabulary. Does Debussy occa-
sionally put forth similar evidences his obses-
sion by a new and exquisite manner of utteranceo
Yet Mrs. Lebich tells how Debussy delayed the
publication of a 'Sarabande' because he could not
find twelve measures of proper significance to COM
plete it
Lawrence Gilmans little volume. entitled De
bussy's Peleas ct Mesande': a Guide to the
Opera. has doubtless been found helpful by many
opera goers since its recent publication by Schir-
mer. The Geographic and critical sketch of the
French composer betrays admiration whose
ardency is frank that readers Will perhaps catch
of Mr. Giman's contagious enthusiasm
Touching the lyric drama itself. his paraphrase of
Maeterlinck's text is sympathetic. When he takes
up in detail the thematc material of Debussy one
wonders whether the composer had so definite a.
scheme of musical symbols in mind Mr.. Gil
reads out Of the score. The book as whole
however, is of the writer's best and sincerest
studies.
A MACDOWELL MEMORIAL.
Of tha Nfan