The sun., 1916-11-26

whose hTtiStlc DelletS III Te8aTu 10 teNN
and music were rather pointedly limited
In q conversation about "Alceste' with
his friend Corances:
II am bothered to know why a piece
should fail when It is stamped with the
truth Of nature and when all h 10 passions
their true expression. 'Alceste' 10
not the kind Of work to give momentary
or to please because II IL new.
Time does not exist for It, and l claim
II will give equal pleasure 200 years
hence " the French language does not
change"
Teutoa Note PredOninates.
There il great plth In that final clause.
We heard the opera yesterday In Ger
man. as slightly modified by al essen
TALLY Teutonic composer, Richard
Strauss. n suns by Germans whose
artistic methods are ~ remote from
Hsllenism as the Gothic has ever been.
"1phIgenia In 1auris' has passed
through many vic!ssitudes. In recent
years 1t has been infrequently SUM in
France. while the Germans. who labor
under many decisions regarding them
selves. have taken II M other Gluck
works into their affections n summed
heir innocent souls In the complacent be-
lief that they were publishing the real
spirit Of these creations ~ no urbane
c~itisens Of the modern Athens ever could.
The matter Is one Intimately concerned
with ths history OF operatic schools and
styles and must not detain US now. hut
We must pause long enough to note that
what 10 known AZ the French gran style
Of defamation began when Lully sought
to reproduce In music effects similar TO
those obtained in the delivery OF Rac!ne's
----- ak-s p..n. NlAar1v dn6nAA and
permanently fixed the traits OF this noble
and inimitable song-speech. and that
Gluck strove with all the devotion OF "a
conscientious artist to follow the line OF
progress.
GIuck's Language stables.
He buried himself In study OF the
genius Of the French tongue. which IL the
root of the French defamation. and he
90 triumphantly succeeded h a the In
tellectuais OF Paris laid the laurel upon
his brow. II do not know whether this
Is singing said De Grimm. listening 10
the majestic ut,erances of "Iphigenia In
Tauris,'' but It Is something better"
II will be inferred hat despite It's sim
certify. yesterdays revival suffered from
Germanixation. To Mr.. Gatti-Casazsa
however. nothing but praise can be given
He can reap no reward except the ap'
prevail Of those to whom classic chastit,
ana beauty are dear. 'Iphigenia ir
Tauris' will not evoke delirious cries OF
bravo :" nor sell out tho standing room
THE Suns %chronicler OF musical activ'
tiles will not Offend the reader by re
pcatinG the familiar story Of the opeld
II Ia more important that those who arr
unfamiliar with the work should be tolt
something about its character. The
music Is in the true vein Of Gluck blu
II Is in his mature style. It has littl'
OF tho facilc ltalianism which Is founc
In the score Of "Orfeb ed Euridice." Their
II no ready made concert air such a
| "Che faro senza Euridice." There Ia no
even such q sweeping eperatic tour d.
force as "Divinites du Styx."
Composers Purpose Realised.
Here at last Giuck has succeeded Il
~realiSing his purpose, proclaimed In tn
preface to ''Alces.c.' Of obliterat!nE thu
| too pronounced difference between recita
tive and aria. The splendid breadth ant
nobility OF the defamation almost i'm
| perceptibly passes into the regions O
formal melody. Tho melody itself invar
iably IL never without tho essential quail
tiles OF the grand style. the sculpture
line. the majestic pose. the communica
| tion 10 the hearers mind Of one single
perfect, final impression, like that from
the Belvedcrc Apollo or the Faun o
Praxiteles. The ensembles In their com
bination Of music. sentiment and action
brine to mind the friezes of the Par
thenon on the temple OF Nike Apteros.
Since the time Of the general accept
anee of the work by tho French tn
world has been invited to admire the al
] nf vhDnS tho tUn Mrs nf IDltnCpin
20 m~alheureuse Iphigcnie' n u
t%iinplore ct j. trcmhle" and the air q
PyIddcs, "Unis dcs Ia plus tcndrc en-
fance,' We forbear to quote the Ger
man distortions Of those texts.
We are also asked tn consider tn
dream haunted sleep OF o cstcs. tn
chorus OF Furies and the savage out
bursts M dances OF the ~Scythians. Bu
the Anticipated custom OF pointing OF
the gems Of the opera" fails to do jus
tice to such II tragic masterpiece. TIL
grand performance of Gluck's genius lie
rather In the moulding Of each act into
continuous stream OF expression. A
though the old forms OF r~ecitative an
less tho thing, Every scene is compile,
in itself and every n Is an essenti,
part OF the whole,
Thu frst act alone with its openir
Storm. It's pathetic Greek hgures wit
their mournful ~utterances. rs Saval
$ ythian chief bringing human rage
follow that OF the elements, and |
poignant close with the tender air
IphiOenm may he taken as II proml
OF what IL to follow. Wo should ",
to have the act at least once as II W,
written. The purpose OF the older ope
attic masters In ending certain sccn'
.g.l H.