New-York tribune., 1914-11-01
French Musician as
Biosrapher-Moon-
shine and the
"MoOnli9FAt."
By II. f. KREHBlEL.

There arc. no doubt, some people III
,be world who do not believe that the
meaning Of the word literature IS
summed Up in that other word, action
Yet a persusal Of the critical pages OF
literary magazines and newspapers IS
calculated to convey that impression
In times like these. when the minds
OF ali thinking persons and the emo
4;ons Of all persons. whether they are
in the habit Of thinking or not are oe-
eupied by the murderous doines OF
. peoples mot one people, which lack
the virtues which can be found IN the
acts of barbarians for ages back and
which Shrek out the fact civilization
has reverted 20 savagery, IT, * ohiy
natural that books which tell OF war
and CONQUEST should crowd even movers
for attention. But ~ is the most as
.curacinc of an times for writings
.hieh have 10 do with the arts when
an ONLY flourish in times OF peace
m t:mes Of war the laws are silent,
% also the voices Of the writers on
music; suppressed not by their oW"
desire. but the oXiGencles when con-
front the publishers.
A coodly number OF publications
issued in the weak, piping times ol
peace" however. invite passing men
iion and few OF them comm n q,
What the author. Vincent inoy' oa.Is
a critical biography ot Beethoven Has .i
been translated into Engilsn rom 'nS
French bv Dr. Theodore Baker ana
r,,bi;sbe6 nv the Boston Music Com
panv New York and London, O:
Schirmerl. VI. dIndy is q distinguished
musician and the head Of pecagoElc
r1lt. and a school Of composers VINO
sro nerbsps rather more spoken OF
.bar heard. In what respects, eNacliE'
Tho Schola CantOrium IN ParS oHtIs
q bigher or better education tnan the
CorServatoire. which II atecls 10 u0
.rise has never been quite clear 10 US
H. ia inst as possible 70 be pedanuC {
an Elected contempt for eStaolsheo
,,,,os as il is in adherence TO old prin-
.irles ard methods. IL does not ap-
near from the history OF composlIlO1
tbst the great genluses VINO opened
new maths ever lid so out OF conleHp'
for the paths of their pIeoSceSso! -
Beethoven studied the ola theoIl s's'
r,oc+ised himself I'm their rules down
10 the end Of his DAYS ana never oo"SoJi
20 REGRET that his early training hau
-. Loor more thorough And yet ne
y.os an inuovator. But the spirit o.
,,,oderr arrogance seems 20 delehJ IN
,rocla;ning its independence o. thS
d;scinlira which the masters accep'e"
o,,or while groaning under ITS eA%C-
.iors And the liberallStS and Wouiu-
bo revolutjonaric, of France must sun
,oor,,i+ thelr ranks from the prize.
scbolars OF the official state schooi OF
;rs+rrction. N. dIndy lays at me oase
ri his thesis the proposition lh"l '"e
cereer Of every creative artist whose
i;ro e++ains normal duration. divides
INTO three periods, differing one from
The other i'm the character Of me com
nositions: Imitation, transluoh' re-
fection." The thought IS obvious
rather than profound, and might Dt
considered valid In the case o-
Reetboven without any attempt 20 HA
the boundaries by years ana I'ig cA-
,,erieuces. as VI. dIndy has done. u we
80 clsssicisn as a regulative prln-
ciple i'm music and romanuclsn as .Ie
creative. we shall find that since the
ART beran the compositions OF masters
sbov an overlapping Of the impulses
am their expression. IL is no' heces-
cary. nor is 10 wise, 20 characleil-e
Beetboven's work up 10 1901 as I'M
;tstive." for there are many eNdences
~ oricinalitv and daring Of thought IN
,ba compositions written i'm Bonn. some
of which he thought worth reVlvinG
when he was in the hey-day OF MS
career. r.,.
N. d'Indy would not be a Frenchman
If he did not take sentimental we"
of the manner in which the passion
of love determines the work Of his
creative artist. and If he did not ad-
inst his biographical narrative IN the
Second. the transitional, stage OF
peethoven's career 10 this view. lie
,eligbts i'm passing Beethoven en-
+anglements with women M review.
bnt shows himself but little critical
,ybeo he follows the belief so long en-
couraCed in the minds Of schoolgirls
tbat the pianoforte sonata in C-sharp
minor tthe sO-called "Moonlgnt' So
uats) was the tomb of his first love
that felt for Giuletta GuicclardL Two
incontrovertible facts demo1sh tha'
prettv conceit: The fascinating ultlt
Countess was not Beethover's first
love, nor was the sonata, lhoueh III
hears her name on IT'S title page as
the dedicatee. written for her the
writer Of these notes told the simple
truth about this sonata In his essays
entitled. "The Pianoforte and IFS
Music" printed in The Tribune -four
years ago and since published in booi
form by Charles Scribner's Sons since
every schoolgirl has heard at least o.
the "Moonlight Sonata the story may
as well as not be repeated here;
The Sonata in sharp minor ha,
asked many tear from gentle soul.
who were taught TO hear in its frs
movement lament for unreQr ed low,
and reflected that it was deL led e
the Countess Giuletta Guicciardi, foi