New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-31
NEW FRENCH BOOKS
Cautier as Music Criticize
cent Fiction.

Paris. December -.
NJ. Eugene Fasquelle makes valuable
and extremely interesting contribution
to the celebrations now taking place, OF
the centenary of the birth Of Theophilo
| Gautier by bringing out in handy, com
pact form the hitherto uncollected APP
precautions and criticisms of great must
cal composers written at odd moments
by the author Of "EmauX ct Canoes
in various journals and periodicals dur
! ing the twenty years from lS4o to lSo9.
| This carefully edited volume of over
/ three hundred pages is appropriately en-
titled La ,lAIusique.' notwithstanding
generally accepted notions, Theophile
Gauticr was 1a fervent musician ana
was familiar with the most intricate
technicaltics of the art. While critics.
ing contemporary French composers,
Auber and Adolphe Adam, the innermost
| instincts of the romantic poet attracted
him toward the grand harmonies and
superb ideals of Hector Berlioz and
| Richard Wagner
Gautier was the first man in France to
understand and appreciate Wagner.
Writing i'm 1861, he thus expressed his
confidence i'm the overwhelming SUI
periority of the composer Of Tam
hiuscr," which. owing to scandalous
riot instigatcd by the members of the
Jockey club had just been Kissed OFF
the stage: Richard Wagner has 80
deeply conyulsed the musical world that
he must take his place as a genius, as Il
hero as those terms are understood by
Emerson and Carlyle. 1t is Wagner who
brings the new sensatiOn-perhaps too
soon for the publc-but it is now i'm
possible To deny that he is destined To-
become the sovereign master Before
long his victorious banner will float on
the highest turret of the citadel giided
bv the sun and caressed by wind that
hitherto tinged and twisted it. Young
musicians will think of Wagner as Il
god or as a demon tentateur!
Gautier was present at the funeral o.
Chopin, which took place at the Made
leine i'm November, 1Sl9 1T was a flre,
sunny. autumnal day he writes. some
If th,, ladies in the church were con-
spicuous by the bright and gay colors
of their gowns and hats, in unseemly
contrast with the sOmbrc black OF the
public. In accordance with Chopins last
wishes. Mozart's Requiem was per-
formed by the organist, Wely, and sung
nv Mines. Viardot and CASTELAR, and 10y
NM. Lablache and Alexis Dupont
Prince Czartoryski walked before the
hearse. and among the pallbcarers were
NM. Meyerbeer and Eugene DelacroiX.
The soul OF Mozart, who died at the age
of thirty-eight, seemed To float in the
air and mourn the young sister soul to
his own and to relate the poem of his
long sorrow and anguish
LA Musique" contains some excellent
chapters about Meyerbeer. Felicien
David. Gounod, Ambrose Thomas and
others.
The holiday season has brought the
customary deluge Of new books, most OF
which are light novels and collections Of
short stories. In Il Envers du Decor"
published by Plon-Nourrlt, NJ Paul
Bmlrget aims q quiverful Of delicatelv
pointed arrows at fashionable hypo-
critics, snobs and literary prigs. NJ.
Bourget becomes less pessimistic as he
gets older, and beneath his polished
irony one finds the subtle aroma of the
little blue flower" of sentiment and
pathos.
Among upward of ffty new novels
brought out this week by Fasquellc, one
bcauX d'Amour," 10y NJ. Marcel Frager.
icaling with An idyl between a Moslcm
and younS Catholic woman. which