The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-05-12
AN UNMISTAKABLE BOND.
some Illustrations of the Relations
OF NietunIs TO Music

some Illustrations of the Relations
OF NietunIs TO Music.
AS We have more than once sug-
gested in the past, there is a sort of
subtle bond between great victuals and
great music. The exact nature of that
bond eiudes scrutiny, but there it is,
the Baltimore Sun says. Find a lover
OF sauerkraut and you will find a man
who understands and admires the nine
superb symphonies of Ludwig Won Bee
thoven. Such a man would warmly
indorse the idea of playing the grand
finale of the fifth symphony during the
kraut course at dinners. The deter
mined reiterations in the coda of that
movement seem to suggest in a mystic
way the benign endlessness of the
krautian skein. Like a rubber band,
sauerkraut is without beginning and
without end. Each strand clings to
another. Eat yard of it and another
yard lures you on. Once started it is
difficult to cease
So much for Beethoven and his gas
tronomic afinities. Coming to the
symphonies of Johannes Brahms, one
discerns a suggestion of another de-
lightful German delicatessen, to wit.
rinderbrust nit meerrettig (breast of
beef with horseradish sauce). II one
contemplates a rasher of rinderbrust,
boiled In the simple German fashion,
one comes inevitably to the thought
that, In itself, 1t has no epicurean
merit whatever 1t Is, in fact. the
most insipid of dishes-tough, bleak,
monotonous and uninviting. Eating it
as 1t comes from the pot would be an
appalling experience for a true con-
noisseur Of victuals. Is there not in
all this some hint Of Brahms? Isn't
it fact that his symphonies, as they
appear in the cold black and white
score, impress one chiefly by their utter
lack of flavor? One seeks In vain for
luscious deviltry. The bassoon lacks
buffoonry The bass fiddles have no
piquant wriggles. 1t is magnificent,
true enough. but it is not appetizing.
But just as the fiat rinderbrust has
its saving meerrettig, just so the SYM
phonies of Brahms gain favor In the
playing The meerrettig give the rim
derbrust an indescribable tang, an in
effable sting, quaint flavor of dab
lerie, and in the same way the emo
tions and mistakes of orchestral per-
| formers innoculate the scores of
Brahms with the blest microbes of hui
| man weakness. In the midst of a de-
velopment section as academically
perfect as the binomial theorem some
irresponsible viola player Suffering,
perhaps. from the fumes of cheap liq-
| uor), sounds wolf tone or snaps
string. and the result Is a golden mo-
ment. The music, thus mutilated, in
suits the intellect, but touches the
heart. One ceases to admire It, and
begins to enjoy 1t.
The whole subject, of course, Is full
of snares. and we pause for refresh
ments But there Is need In the world
for philosopher who will work 1t
| out to ten places of decimals-who will
explain to us the subtle relationship
between music and viands We have
limited at the nature Of the chains
| which bind sauerkraut to the great
Ludwig. and rinderbrust to the aus
tere Johannes. But why does the Bis
marck herring suggest Wagner and
the succulent kartoffelkloss Weber and
Der Freischuetz," and stewed prunes
Haydn. and hasenpfeffer Mozart And
why. when we hear the music of Rich
ard Strauss, do we think inevitably Of
pink lemonade and snake-eaters, shell
games and tight ropes, jugglers and
peanuts?