New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-16

HANDEL By Roman ROLAND Ifa1ssrd %
A Essisiod Hull Henri Hot 4 90.
In writing the life Of Handel, VI.
ROLAND approached a subject which
possessed for him a peculiarly sympa-
thetic appeal The author Of jean
Christophe" has ever scorned the diet
tante, whether Of life or art. IT is
the hero, the conqueror Of prejudice,
the breaker-down Of obstacles, even the
Samson who pulls the temple upon his
head, TO whom Mr. ROLAND bows the
knee. George Frederick Handel was
one % these heroes. hero whose
struggles we're % crown the most giorl-
Gus period OF his productiveness' whose
early years were comparatively rosy,
but Who was 20 90 down 10 his grave
in the midst OF Misunderstanding ana
abuse. Yet the British nation. 80 often
inhospitabo TO genius when alive, made
noble atonement Handel was buried
in Westminster Abbey, and England
adopted as one Of her own children the
German who had given 20 her glory
the best portion Of his life.
NJ. ROLAND does not aim 20 give an
exhaustive life OF Handel or minute
criticism Of his works, but the volume
does ample justice 10 the genius OF
the man. and gives an outline Of the
content and style of his productions.
NJ ROLAND, great admirer Of Handel
though he is. does not pretend that all
the gifts Of the gods were his. 1T IS
very remarkable" he writes, that mel
odv was not a natural gift with Handel
for he now appears TO as as melodic
genius. Handel only came 20 his tuii
power Of melodc expression after
years Of severe discipline
OF Handel's life in HAMBURG his
friendship with Mattheson and helser'
and Of their influence upon him there Is
a good deal, and also Of his Italian
Journey and his meeting with Alessan
dro Scarlatti, but the major portion OF
the book is, Of course, devoted 70 tne
composers fnal life in England. lhere
ere many interesting comments on the
state Of music in England. the most in
teresting of them being NJ. ROLAND
words on Purcell:
His art WAS full Of grace and
delicacv. much more aristocratic
than that Of Lully. He Is the
Van Dyck Of music Everything
OF his is OF extreme elegance, re-
fnement. rich. silently ersdnque.
His art is natural. always stepped
in the country lire. which IL IN
deed the source OF English in
SEPARATION. HIS poetic languor was
his strongest appeal. and at the
same time his weak point. Most
of his works lack polish. II -
necessary TO take him for "na'
he is. one or the most poetic hg-
ures i'm music smiling, yet a little
eiegiac AN immature mozart eIel
nallv convalescent.
With the death of Purcell the Italian
invasion began. an invasion which was
onnosed vainlv by Addison. men
Handel arrived In London. IN l'io;
national art was dead NJ. ROLAND
shows how Handel az once associated
himself with the British nation oy
writing patriotic odes. Then came the
arrival Of Giovanni BonOncini, invited
70 England by Handles former patron
Lord burlington, followed by the war
Of operas between the two composers.
or this war. with Handles final VIC
tory. there are many interesting pages
as we'll az of his turning to the ora
torio form. a form peculiarly suited 10
the English taste. But probably the
most eloquent portion Of the book are
the opening pages Of the chapter de-
Z II a
Handel Is of the kind who drink
in the life universal Everything
is duly absorbed. controlled and
classified. This immense soul IS
ike the sea itself, into which all
tho rivers of the world pour them
selves without troubling its seren-
ity. His capacious mind looks out
on the whole universe, and on the
vav the universe depicts itself. as
q picture IS reflected IN calm and
/ clear water. He owes much Of this
obiectivism TO Italy, where ne
spent many years, and he owes
even more i'm that sturdy England
which guards It's emotions win SO
tight a rein and which eschews
those sentimental and efferyescng
illusions so often displayed in the
Nous German art. Profoundly
German in race and character, he
had become a world citizen. The
great Germans at the end OF that
century, Goethe and Herder, were
never more free, or more unlver-
sal. than this great Saxon in music.
There will probably be those VINO VII
disagree with some Of NJ. Hollands be
I liefs. notably when he writes that he
who is satisfied with listening 70 this
music without seeing what II expresses
will never understand it. II is a music
which paints emotions, souls and situa-
tons. to see the epochs and the plans
which are the framework Of the emo
tions. and which tint them with their
own moral tone
This may be carrying the province
Of music TO an extreme end. LEASING
al least would strongly object to any
such mixing Of the arts. But, taken on
{ the whole, the book is worthy of its
author It is a distinct contribution
/ to musical literature.