The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-26


 That schumann was an artist of great power all are ready to affirm who know his "Ich Grolle Nicht," and the little gem, "Du bist wie cine Blume," and that ex- qusite composition. I'm Wunderschoenen Monat Mai" AS rule, however, Schu- mann's Lieder are defective at that point where Schubert's are most perfect. With the latter the voice was first and the bl- strumentation secondary; while Schumann makes the accompaniment dominant. schumann was first a pianist, then a composer of lyrics. I have been at times curiously confused in my endeavor to pen citrate the mazes of some of Schumann's harmonies, indeed, to my limited knowl edge of music, many of them seem to be tone-entanglements. But 1 suppose no one has ever had this experience with Schubert's compositions. Nevertheless, Schumann is conceded to be the greatest art-song composer since Schubert. There Is another contrast or comparison between Schubert and Schumann that I have all ways felt, but could never explain until I had read the biographies of the men. Schumann was a Leipsicer, a university
 
 ceived planned and executed from an in- tellectual point of view it was intellect set to music, with Till of feeling flowing through 1t here and thepe. Schubert was less intellectual. less cold; feeling, stir rings of the emotional nature, dominated. Therefore, while Schumann puts into his work more brains, Schubert puts into his more heart, and this I think should domi- nate composers Lieder. Thus comes 1t that Schubert appeals to the heart of the world as Schumann cannot.
 To one other phase of Schubert's genius I beg to call attention, namely Its mar vicious fertility and unwearying industry He was always creating new rhythms and combining new harmones. There seemed to be no end to them. Even on his death bed he said; Entirely new harmonies and rhythms are in my head" Ills modu- lations and attending harmonies were often startling as innovations, and yet, they were ever musically true profound, original and beautiful. Tn wagnerian compositions one will find innovations, as also in the thrilling bars of Chopins work innovations as wild, sometimes, al the winds that sweep over the Hungarian hills. But Schubert was brave enough to set the pace, and bear the harshest criti- cism of the old school
 It has been said that, from Schubert's style grew the ha rmonies of Schumann and Liszt. But with him his eccentric combinations were original. I have never heard 1t hinted that even the unconvenali- O ted fa h
 Schubert's melodies, harmonies, move ments and modulations, were all spon- taneous. They were not generally toiled over. Only a few of his short compost tions were ever retouched. He was all ways at his best, q strange thing in any man. It is true that some of his songs are inferior to others, but this is often would bring to him poems to set to music, and to please them he would do so, knowing full weE their unsituability for alliance with melody
 Whence flowed this inexhaustible stream of fertility? this never-ending novelty of Schubert's diary there Is a partial an swer; My musical compositions are the product of my intellect and my sorrows" But behind all these, there was the in spiration of genius, the glow of the divine fire that revealed possibilities not else seen.
 Schubert was a tireless worker He had a genius for industry. When he died he had given to the world over twelve hun tired compositions in all kinds of music. In one year he composed one hundred and thirtyseven songs, besides opsrettas and instrumental pieces. When at work on his opera "Fierrabras," he composed three-hundred pages in week. and in four months he had written a thousand pages, to say nothing of a number of songs besides. In his short life, as I have said, he composed over twelve hundred works. Now, let the reader remember that Schubert died at the age of s1 then let the question be asked. What had oth CTS accomplished at so early a period? Why, at 31 Beethoven had composed only one of his symphonies. and Wagner had not written one of his great works with the purely Wagnerian stateliness: Rienzi and the Flying Dutchman, so far as style is concerned, might have been written by another.
 But, 1t is objected, Schubert wrote no great oratorios, symphonies, nor such massive music as Bach, Handel, Haydn and others, therefore, no matter how in- dustrious his genius he should not be classed with the first composers This same criticism was made against the Norwegian, Grief But 1t is fallacious Is genius to be weighed in a balance like pork? Is 1t to be measured by a foot rule? Is there less of the Divine wis dom in the violet than there is in the oak? Less of Divine genius in the throat of the nightengale than there Is in the hawk? Genius lies not in bulk. There may be perfection in the diamond, though small, quite as certainly as in a noun tain; and the Kohinoor which one might place in his vest pocket. would buy a thousand mountains.
 l do not mean. by these contrasts, to depreciate other composers to the exalta- tion of Schubert; but do mean to say that. Schuberts genius needed no pom derous work to stamp him as worthy of a place in the Temple of the Immor- tals and among the loftiest
 Such criticism as that to which I have referred comes oftener than otherwise from those who discount melodies. Bach and Handel and others gave but scant attention to lyric songs. Bach left 30 volumes of compositions. but among them there were only two or three song mel odes Handel wrote about 60 operas, ora tcrios, passions, etc., but only one song But Schubert rose from the sphere of the merely harmonic and sang his melodies