The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-15
New Work on Chopin
Is Highly Commended

That the. genius Of Chopin should in
any sense be open to question at this
epoch must perforco seem strange and
incomprehensiblo TO the great music low
ing public. No other composer of piano !
music can be said TO occupy position
so sancti6ed in the affections of plan
lists Of all nations, none vie with him i'll
tho esteem Of the musical laity, none
dominate recital programmes from New
York to New Zealand, or from Helsing-
fors to Johannesburg, with so relentless
and persistent sway. Chopin is.
universal institution, the patron saint
Of oil those who manipulate the ivories
in any degree whatsoever. He is adored
to various limits for a diversity Of rem
sons.
And yet the note of dissent does occa.
sionally spice an apparent perfection OF
unanimity. All manner Of musicians are
needed TO mike up world and In the
vast aggregation one sometimes encoun'
tcrs pcrsonages to whom Chopin is not
one Of the hierarchy in which Bach,
are lords of creation. Chopin they es-
TEEN to greater or lesser extent. Yet
| they would deny him a station among
the master spirits, the elect They find
him feeble in grasp Of form. They de-
cry his tendency to shun the larger
molds. They sneer at him for his want
of orchestral techniquei they deplore
what they are pleased to regard as his
seutimentality. They entertain va,
riety Of other pedantic regrets, present
| enumeration OF which would be un-
profitable. OF truth Chopin s detract'
ors, though pathetic minority, are
still living realities. Even half CEN
tury's overwhelming argument against
them has not completely stifed their
plants.
To them, as we'll as to the untold le-
gions of devout worshippers may heart
| ily be commended Edgar Stlllman kcl-
ley's recently published "Chopin, the
Composer ''-as splendid and inspiring
compendium Of intelligent, musicianly
appreciation, of subtiy acute critical per
ception as has seen the light IN many
decade. Detractors of the composer
whom Rubinstein called 'the soul of the
| lightcned, admirers further to strength
en- their faith and to discover more,
perhaps, than they had previously dis
| ccrncd. The volume-which, though
comparatively brief, is one of the monu.
mental additions to critical literature Of
| modern tlmes-is collection of essays
which the distinguished American COM
poser put forth several years ago,
MI Kelley has dealt primarily with
Il
| tions-his additions TO the world Ian
| guage Of harmony and tone color; his
| truly wonderful grasp Of form (despite
pedantic objections)-h structural art,
in short, and it's influence on contem.
poraneous music.
With good reason Mr.. Kelley finds
that insufficient attention is paid by
specialists In musical architecture to
Chopin 8 achievements in that field. And
so he has thrown himself devotedly into
the task Of dissecting Chopin works
from purely technical standpoints and to
prove with what good reason he may be
placed high among the highest, He has
shown with convincing inality how
deeply Wagner reacted to Chopin s har
monte influence and how the ultra
modern world Of musical thought was
moved In consequence,
1t is the sympathetic analysis Of a
great spirit by one who comprehend:
the subtlest secrets of his utterance. l,
is impossible here TO outline even g
small fraction of Mr.. Kelley wise
;apercus and deductions. He proves hi:
points unerringly. Those who decry
Chopin s inability to handle the or
chestra should read what tho autho!
has to say of Chopin 8 dilemma in be
ing obliged to express Tomantic idea:
through the medium Of the classical or
chestra Those who accuse him OF
weakness in form should set themselve:
Alright by perusing the chapters or
Universal Combinations" the "Re
vitalized Rondo,'' "Fresh Paths
Through Old Forests, - "Amplifica tior
of the Sonata Principle, and "Uniqut
Structural Problems.' Mr.. Kelley ha:
the rare faculty of discussing tcchni
calities without lapsing into academic
dryness.
The book is written in trenchant, dis
tinguished style. with mastery author
ity and weight-H. j. P, in Musica
: America