The San Francisco call., 1910-04-14

thongs structures on the dancing
OF Maud Allan as-it relates to the
music is that he does not go far
enough.
We are being treated at present TO
one OF those edifying exhibitions of
provincialism that recur with such a
charming periodicity in San Francisco
perhaps the most complacently opin-
donated community on the face of the
earth In matters OF art generally and
OF music In particular.
One can have no quarrel with those
who have nocked TO sec Miss Allan.
who Is undoubtedly an exceptionally
proficient dancer. but the apparent dis
position to eSsit hsr beyond her de-
serta Ia not only provincial but crassIy
stupid
The point at issue in the controversy
provoked by MI ABthebgs review Is
whether Miss AiisH's dances itlBstrst-
ing works by Chopin shd other com
poeers are legitimate complement 20
compositions Of type entirely pnrs-
lated To dancing, white taking the
stand with Mr.. Anthony Doctor stew
art and others that they Afs NOT iszit-
innate art. would GO still farther and
state that they are not only based on
false conception ot the proper rela-
ton OF dancing 10 music. but on a
false conception OF the relation Of
the art OF dancing TO the art OF music.
All art. TO be such II created alone
Of ef oil
however. that music shall not be writ
ten TO words or to the movements OF
dancing: nor does it connote a denial
of the fact that lyric poetry implies
music. and is. therefore, a fitting
framework on which TO weave musi-
cal compositions. But it is mere in
science to put words to the catch
penny intermezzo of Mascagni. AL
though the relation of the words to the
music in Debussy's setting of Maeter-
linck's "Pelleas and MeIisande' is in no
sense comparable to the relation of
words to music in ordinary song or
opera, the fact that the two factors
were not co-ordinately created seems
to me to negative Lawrence Gilman's
labelling of "Pelleas and MeIisande" as
the perfect music drama"
One need not indulge in the faulty
of comparing the arts. but it can be
said of music that it is. so 10 speak.
the most artistic OF the arts In other
words. music must be suggestive All
the other arts put instruments of abuse
in the hands of their practitioners;
that is to say. they put in their hands
the means of making statements,
which is only another way of express
ing the iEartistic. Thus we have state
ments on canvas. statements in prose
and verse (never in poetry, state
ments in marble and bronze. In music
alone it is impossible TO make state
ments, although, unfortuna tely, we see
certain persons doing their utmost to
transcend the blessed limitations OF
this most discreet of arts and endeav-
oring to wrench it into a directnes3
that is inimical to its very nature.
Walter Pater says: All art CONSTANT
ly aspires toward the condition OF
music in its ideal consum-
mate moments. the end is not distinct
from the means. the form from the
matter, the subject from the express
sion; and to 1T, therefore. to the condi-
tion of its perfect moments. all the
arts may be supposed to tend and as
pire.
Dancing is primarily an art OF sug-
gestion and as such il is closely al
lied to music: but. unlike music, il is
susceptible of degrading realism. Its
function is to create beauty and to sug-
gest emotion by means that other arts
can not compass; it can act as the
legitimate complement of only such
music as is composed for dancing How
beautiful an art it is within its proper
limits is only just now beginning 10
be understood in this wonderful new
country of ours. Dancing" says Ar
thur Symonds, lin which the performer
is at once creator and interpreter, per-
formed faultlessly and by a dancer OF
temperament. is beautiful in its own
way, as a performance on the violin by
Ysaye." No description of dancing as
a medium for the expression of emotion
can surpass that 10 be found in La
femme ct lie pantin" by Pierre Louys,
and recommend 1T to those who would
comprehend the subtleties of the art.
The only legitimate function of art
is to suggest; it is the only possible
function of music. All art should be
an evocation: music must be an evoca-
tion. Says Stephane Mallarme ITO
state is to destroy, to suggest is to
create" Now when an attempt is made
to expand or supplement the import
of music by dancing not created with
the music itself such dancing becomes.
not a legitimate complement of the
music, but an illustration of the
music and. as such, it is not pure art.
Any attempt TO extend the value OF
musical rhythm. intended TO be suf-
fcient in itself by INSTALLATION of
the rhythm is an, impertinence. 1t
gratifies a large number of persons for
the reason that in going beyond the
limits OF the evocation. ii is a move
ment in the direction Of the statement.