Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-05

- Of the eight-lccture course, and
was entitled Musicians as Men the Every
DAY Side Of the Great Masters; Their Wit
Wisdom and Philosophy"
-
IT was through the Violuncpllo that the
way was opened for the appearance Of
Christoph Wilubsld Gluck in the pages Of
story. His beautiful playing brought
him into the good graces Of the princely
Lobkowitz family. And GlucN was es.
sentiauy the musician Of singing and
strnged instruments.
Handel once said Of Gluck's early work
that he knew no more counterpart than
his Uiauders) cook. II is true Handles
cook was quite a fair bass singer and
later critics have decided that Counter
point was not one Of Glucks strong points.
10 Is interesting TO note that this knight.
this chevalier. appeared as a performer on
musical glasses or tumblers with accom-
paniment by orchestra So we must he
careful about looking down upon the
achievements Of some Of our vaudeville eN-
perts who do stunts or things like that
for who knows that perChance there may
he a Gluck In the making. in connection
with Gluck we find mention of the
/ 'PasticciO" which was a form, or rather
formess style OF composition which has
never fourshed since the days Of Gluck
/ The Pastccio was a speCies Of Lyric
/ Drama composed Of solos, duets. etc,
| selected from various operas and strung
| together Go make "a whole In one notable
case there were no less than twelve com,
/ posers represented. a kind Of a high-class
medley in the form OF an opera as 1t We're.
! The name Of Pasticcio as one can infer.
meant a pasty, or pie Rut whether when
this pie was opened il was "a dainty dish
/ to set before a king or not the type has
gone out Of existence.
Guck gave much time TO the study of
aesthetics and Of the language and litera-
ture OF the various countries. He was GER
tanly patrcian in his tastes and pur-
suits. he had princes and royalty Of var
ious kinds and degree to sing his music
one Of his works was played by four arch
duchesses. an archduke playing the accom-
panments. 1t is Of course, well known
that Marie Antoinette studied singing with
him. Marie Antoinette later assisted him
noby by her powerful protection when
the opposition to him and his new ideas
was so strong in France especially among
those who wanted him kept out of the
academy The same old story.
GluCks new ideas were the precursors
Of the Wagnerian Music Dramas lie
made the overture mean something-madC
it suggestive Of what was coming, &c
prepare the audience for the action of the
piece. and serve as kind Of argument tC
IL" (Gluck instead OF being a potpourr
of the opera or piece Of instrumental
glory to prepare for the rising of the cur
tain He made the Music actually sub
servant to. or perhaps more accurately con
trlbutory to the action of the Drama; h,
finished the solos and arias without tn,
customary repeats; introduced choruse
that had a meaning and reason for exist
ence and never sacrificed the dramati
situation for the exploitation of his owl
value as a composer or to give a singer
chance to show-off remarkable virtuosity
What remarkable forecast of the musca
! scheme of Richard Wagner And be
noted that this was merely the reappear
ance Of the ideas of Peri in 1GOJ
Peri in 1900, Chuck in IVA Wagner il
e our own time. The three great reformers
l But we are depressing. This subject o
I ours has so many beautiful by-paths tina
4 it is not always easy to keep to the stud
Of the Musicians Men.
The critics and the antagonists wer