The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-31
BOSTON OPERA A STUDY IN CONTRASTS
Ballet. Which Occasionally Plays a
Mighty Part in Tragedy, Gen.
orally Is a Dead Weight

the WUnfrcdo of Mr.. Baklanoff was
a new disclosure Of the real value Of
the character. This barytonc is a
most agreeable addition to the list Of
New York's operate acquaintances;
that is. OF course. If Mantrcdo should
not turn WI to he his only good role.
In view of his evidence Of dramatic
instincts this does not seem to be
at all probable. Not n truly musical
singer. he has a very good sense of
stage values, and in opera this goes
far.
Henry Holt & Co. have published
an English translation Of Roman Roll
lands "Musiciens d'Autrefois' under
title of Some Musicians OF Former
Days" THE suns music reviewer
las on several occasions referred to
this work of ROLAND and has at times
translated passages for the benefit Of
his readers. ROLAND IL one OF the
greatest OF living musical scholars.
lie is also the most interesting OF
contemporsneous writer's Of that par
ticular species of musical commen-
tary which must he classed under the
general head Of historical criticism.
To the ma iorlty OF musical cnthusi-
asts he is known chiefly. II not only,
as the author Of that prodlgious piece
Of fiction Jean Christophe," probably
the most important novel OF the last
ton or a dozen years. But students OF
musical history are acquainted also
with NJ. hollands mastery work His
toire. de lOpera en- Europe avant Lully
ct Scarlatti.' one OF the authoritative
studies Of the subject. They also
know his "Musiciens d'Auiourd-hui,"
which has already neon given to us
in English by the Hollis.
Some Musicians OF Former Days"
is the work which opens with the
pregnant essay 'Of the Place OF Music
In General History" The present
writer has heretofore referred to this
essay and has quoted from 1t. The
author has made no attempt to FIX
haust his topic, but has merely offered
a swift survey of the subject with the
purpose Of inviting attention to IL.
He is, of course. one OF those more
seriou music overs who deprecate
the custom Of writing about the art as
II il had 40 connection with general
human thought. The truth Is that
music Is always a reflection of its
time and often n of the profoundest
embodiments of the spirit Of an age.
Possibly some day some scholar who
has twenty-five years before him to
do the formidable amount of work
may undertake tn write a history of
the connection of music and the in
tcllectual development of Europe.
In the three chapters grouped under
the title of The beginnings of Opera"
NJ. ROLAND briefly touches upon GER
tain important matters, which the
present writer studied more extensively
in his "Somc F~"rerunners of Italian
Opera" published in 1911. NJ. ROLAND
mentions the production of the
"Orfeo" of Angelo PoliziaHo at n
in i474 and then calls attention to its
transfer to the secular staCe of the
apparatus Of the sacred representa-
ton Here the author perfArce
renders his tribute of praise and thanks
To Alessandro D'Ancona. whose great
work "Origini del Teatro in Italia:
Studi sullc Sarre Representation"
u'ircnze. 1870 is the fountainhead OF
information on this subject.
OF greater significance because dclv-
ing deeper into history are The six
clnulcrs devoted To- 9TH" First opera
PLAYED in pars." This was the
"otfeo'' OF Luigi Ro.>i. introduced
To the French capita! 10y Cardinal
Mazarin. NJ. Rolland's narrative is
written with brilliant scholarship. with
critical insight and with flashes of