Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-25
Chopin's Muse
a Creature Who
Courted Fashion
Study of the Master Does Not
Show Him in a Wholly
Favorable Light.

complete theory of Chopin. TIL
ocuna in the literature of the re-
public has been often deplored by
musicians, for the French look upon
this delicate musician as. in some
sense, a compatriot and the frag-
mentary letters, magazine articles,
and. thanks 10 George Sand. novels
re ating TO Chopin, are innumerable.
But 1t has remained for Eduard
Ganche to finally present to the lit
erary and musical world of France a
work sufficiently important, syn
thetic and complete to satisfy both
musician aud litterateur.
The Authors Care.
The author has neglected no docu-
mentary aid, but ne remains personal
In his exposition Of the life of an in
spired musician.
One fees that Al. Ganche has as
simulated his subject, has observed
the spirit of his master, and, finally,
dominates 1t. What is rare in the
circumstances is that the author, CIV
ing no check to his admiration, yet
does not permit it to affect or blind
his judgment ~
With modesty which deserves all
praise the author effaces himself In
the presence of the personages whom
iiSH liAtlllpAlo DGlOlC iSiA'hB liiNAA
speak for themselves by giving
cop.ous extracts from their corre-
spondenee.
Many anecdotes aiding him, 1t SUI
fees TO the narrator to add some con-
else remarks TO complete his psychic
logical ana, ysis, which is more pro-
found than appears at first in casual
reading. tT Q,
And. when one has gone through
1,sn44 Va, la
preston that one gains is. perhaps,
not as favorable to Chopin as one
had dreamed that it would be. rhe
musician, indeed presents himself as
a bizarre mixture of nobility of spirit
and extreme vanity and self-esteem.
of joyousness and camaraderie. aud
cold, naughty bearing; and, finally.
OF nervous disability and an indolent
Indifference, sometimes even amount
ing to complete torpor of mind and
body.
Chopin's correspondence Is strange
ly deeeiVing. He had neither en-
thusiasm, a grasp of general ideas,
nor the. presentiments Of the artist.
As Mr.. Ganche says, Chopin was
neither the man of letters nor
thinker. One might we'll ask
whether his complex sensibllity was
tions 1t appears that his spirit was
bounded by horizon as. egotistieal
AS 1t was intellectually restrained
Chopin's amour with George Sand,
on the part both OF one and the other,
BETRAYED more of sensuality than OF
moving human passion. CHOPIN
friendships were rare and certain OF
his averslons were ineXpl.cable. Ihus
he exhibited supreme disda1n for the
. oh, ~ tho ppTlpr0llE
master who had hailed his entrance
into the world of music and art with
transports of enthusiasm.
M. Ganche says that Chopin, newly
recognized, knew all the great artists
of his time, but disdained to associate
with them or to respond to their
| affeetionate. and laudatory tributes.
On the other hand, he haunted the
salons of the wealthy and the exalted
of. the earth, u habit easily under
stood In the world, but which seems
to have amazed M. Ganche.
Toward the end of his work the
author concludes, very justly, The
work of Chopin Is the mirror of his
life," a profound observation, indeed,
and, in effect, of his life as much as
of his being. The art Of Chopin Is
essentially subjective, and subJec-
tive in degree which 1t would be
interesting to ana,yze.
NJ. Ganche has not done this. His
analysis of the musical part of
Chopin's life Is the weak side in his
book In fact, the authors personal
judgments upon the music of CHOPIN
are confined to incidental allegations,
of a nature rather literary than
musical and in this very part of his
book no takes refuge especially in
citations from the works of contem-
poraries of Chopin.
Recognizable Reserve.
His personal reserve is regrettable,
inasmuch as he is dealing with an
artist whose centenary was about to
be celebrated. But perhaps Nj.
Ganche, in his impartial spirit, re-
cooled from subjecting the master to
an analysis which could add but lit
tie to his genius or his fame.
Chopin was, without doubt, the most
brilliant meteor in that Pleaides Of
genial artists who flourished side by
side for a century. With Mendels-
sohn, Schumann, List aud Wagner,
Chopin formed, certainly, constella-
ton of unrivaled splendor. But
Chopin was more seducing and better
endowed by nature than Mendelssohn,
less disconcerting than Schumann and
more precocious in maturity than
List. 't
George sand, in her Historic de
Ma Vie, !" has given wonderful pic
ture OF Chopin ana Of his mode of in
SEPARATION and composition. She says;
His creative spirit was spontane-
Gus and miraculous. II came to him
without thought or provision. 1t came
as he sat at the plano, sudden, COIN
plete, sublime, or, II sang in his brain
as he walked. But then he gave the
labor the most dreadful that | have
ever seen or ASSISTED in assuaging. IT
was an agonizing sequence of efforts,
irresolutions and lmpatiences. He
was enclosed in his chamber for many
days, weeping, walking, breaking his
pens. ave.
Chopin, in reality, was an I'm
provisa tor
Musician of the Woman of Fashion.
The CONCLUSION of M. Ganche Is SIN
gularly poetical. The master, Chopin,
WAS not the musician of woman, he
was the musician of the grande
daniel OF beaut full creatures as
sembled In salons as sumptuous as
their toilets. The music Of Chopin is
delicious fairy, sYelte and gracious.
who Is seen in the woods or in the
fields only in a caleche or sedan
chair. Her fingers are adorned with
diamonds and around her lovely neck
are csrclets of pearls. She does not
sing. she plays the piano
This muse enjoys herself pro-
dlgiously and improvises gaily in the
midst of lights and flowers and per-
fumes. When her efforts have red
dened her cheeks and made her bosom
swell she coughs discreetly and wipes
her encarnadined lips with dainty
handkerchief of richest lace. Then
she receives with smile OF lassitude
the applause she has awaited.