The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-09
THE POWER OF MUSIC
81 ELsLE .. HARRIsoN.

and when united with romance to-
gether they are capable Of producing
marvellous effects on the human soul
Such effect has been produced not only
on Germans, but on music lovers Of
every country by the opera Of Faust
1t probably appeals to more people
than any opera ever written, and, while
other stories in music come and go,
that Of Faust Marguerite and Mephls-
topheles remains.
But there are deeper effects pro
duced Oh only few by certain music
to which the souls OF the millions are
not attuned, Just as we can conceive
Of an ear SO delicately constructed as
70 bear the grass grow,
Friedrich Nietzsehe, an eminent
German philosopher, has declared
there IL that ia some music, most nota-
bly, the works OF Wagner and Tschai
kowsky, that produces baneful ef-
feet on the brain and nerves even to
the extent Of causing tragedy
One evening three music lovers in
Berlin were entertaining themselves
by playing together snatches from the
great composers. They we're Carl
Becker, Bertha, bis wife, and Helm
rich Twingler. Becker played the yio-
lin. his wife the piano and Twingler
the rioloncelio. Becker bore on hts
face, III his eye, IN his whole makeup,
evidence that he was born 70 music;
his wife was a fair haired, blue eyed
woman Of a gentle disposition, while
Twingler, a devotee Of science, looked
as If he would be capable Of any sac
riice In its cause
"Let us have the Sixth symphony"
he said.
A panied look shot across the face Of
Mrs. Becker. NO, no. she exclaimed;
not that onel / don't like itI"
Twineler fixed bis eyes upon her.
There was a cold, deprecatory look III
them.
And why don't you like itw he
asked.
Carl Is never the came after playing
it. he Is always 50 melancholy"
We'll il your husband is not a man
Of sufficient vigor Of win to resist the
influence OF a few harmonious strains
we shall have to choose something
else
I'VE win play the Sixth Symphony"
said Becker, getting out the music and
putting il on the rack before him. The
others placed their own parts in posi-
ton. Becker tapped with his bow, and
they began to play. Now and again
Mrs. Becker glanced aside from her
score at Twingler inquirlngly. Had be
anything to 10 with the effect pro
duced on her husband when he played
this symphony No; Twingler was ey-
Identity absorbed IN bis own part.
Then the wife began to look anxious
~ at the husband Ills violin seemed
a human being. alternately signing
smiling, moaning. laughing. The yio.
llnist's face. especially his eye, the
souls window. expressed all these
moods IN turn. but always tuning to
melancholy. His wife was troubled /
Toward the end the sounds grew more
and more painful till Becker's fnstru-
ment finally gave what seemed to be
the wall Of a broken heart
The violinist stopped. turned and
looked at the Others. His wife COW
cred before bis glance, which was that
Of melancholy demon. Twtngier
coolly drew a covering over bis vioIon
cello. folded the sheet music before
him, said good night 70 the other two
and took his departure
Becker went 70 his room. Els wife,
instead Of undressing, sat IN her own
room adjoining her husbands listen
ing Twice she arose, put her hand on
the knob 81 the door separating her
from him as IL TO 50 in to soothe him,
but each time her resolution failed
her. She feared to excite him further
Suddenly there came from his room a
sharp report with a shrek she threw
open the door and saw her husband
lying on the floor, the blood oozing
from his temple. He never spoke
again.
A few evenings later Heinrich Twin
gler stood before meeting Of philo
sophie society of which be was a mem
Der to address his fellows.
you are probably aware, he said,
chat / have been studying the innu-
ence Of sounds on the human BRAIN
The fact that Tschaikowsky destroyed
himself after composing bis Sixth Sym
phony does not prove that his work
led him to do 50. 1t has been report
ed that several persons have died by
their own hands after playing It, and,
as you know, It Is called the suicide
symphony But / have never been
able to get any confirmation q these
reports ! therefore determined il
the cause Of science to sacrifice il nee
essary one Of my personal friends.
After playing this symphony with him
several times ! concluded that if he
continued to play II he would probably
hin himself. A few evenings ago / in-
8ueed him to play it with me and his
wife, who being aware Of its effect on
him, came very near defeating my
purpose by objecting and during the
stopped short in her part
It was not necessary for me to inter
'ere, FOR her husband was by this time
% affected BY TschaikowslSy's re-
work that he dominated her.
md she proceeded. was deeply inter
'sted In the marvellous influence Of the
over the subject, giving q
lower of expression that have never
Deen cognizant Of ia any one before.