New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-15
MUSIC AND LIFE
Roman Hollands Chapters on
Art and It's Meanings.

SOME MUSICIANS OFT owue DAY. d,
Ramaa holland Translated iy May B'acs'c'k
tv' NrHu l'Hf Co.
" Eo.iaud's "Mueicicr dr. Autre-
fois" has at last appeared in am English
translation. and a book which TO the
serious student Of musical history is
indispensable is now placed within
reach of the English-sp speaking public.
The translation is adequate, although
Il misses some of the eloquence which
In the original Eliminates the intro
ductory essay, "Of the Place OF Music
In General History" The book is in
seven chapters, each one OF which
comes near 20 expressing the last word
on the various topics introduced. Be
sides the opening essay there is a chap
ter on "Tle Beginnings Of Opera, one
on Luigi Rossi's "Orfeo' the first opera
played In Paris; number Of Notes
on Lully,' chapters on GiucK and
Grttry. and on Mozart according 20
his letters With the exception OF the
Introductory essay the chapters are
monographs and DO not attempt 70
carry out any historical or pn.losophic
scheme Each s. complete in itself and
can be read separately.
OF these monographs. the one on
"The Beginnings OF Opera IS the most
exhaustive Y traces the development OF
this art form from its first seeds in the
"Sacra Rapprcs and the cias-
sic comedy OF the fifteenth century
through the "Pastoral" OF that century
;rto g., frs+ bcoirnings Of oncra as
yra l,,ov, /, There are in il many in
torostir,. anecdotes and bits Of iufor-
rco+ior We read that ArctIu declared
H.. 9Th. T,s+ JUDGMENT" OF Michael
- 500 i,.5ocor+. tba. many OF the
great pairters OF the Renais arce
were also musicians. and a dozen other
things little known 20 the genera mind
In the chapter on Ross's "Orteo we
read az the influence upon French
music exercised by MazaIin and ms
Italian favoritce. o. the sen alton
caused by the production % the worN'
and of thc eXtraord.n1ry development
Of scene painting and isge .,eci. .-'
NJ Hollands study OF LUZ! is '"'i
ly exhaustive. me musician
dldly depicted a. lhe SA"I o' que -''.'.'
lyric stage. Under ms reign t"e 'c-
tresses could not nave colcs loI ga
months in the year, nor me "Otol7 "-
drink four DAYS m the week. lhey
had 10 get used 20 something diNeieN''
wrote LeCerf de ia Nlevl.le, ano we see
at once what q benehcen' influence the
tvrarnical Italian was In tAe "orll o1
onerafic temueramcut We learn TINT
even under the great LOUIS opera sing
o,s were about as they are to-day. 10
C1rcL's r1blo character VI. ROLAND
naye bfgh tribute. and we realize that
In his "Jean Christophe' there is much
Of this Old COMMUNICATING. nat
hrrF a inter ir.urE lA IIIr
ideas on the luhci.o o. %" -
is admirably set iortn ln quo'"'io"
from Gluck himself:
The voices, the instruments, ana
all sounds. even silence Itself,
should have one aim 10 view, ana
that is expressiyenes and me
union between the words ana lie
music should be so close that the
music should belong GU e IS much
TO the poem as the poem TO the
music.
.v.bor,, roparks on Gr6trv and
~. 80 ro~Lo,e los. interesting,
i4 ill.,, i,trodrrtorv ESSAY. "Of
H. p,.co - ii,sic in Genera History. Do
h. n ROLAND reveals himself az his
hest. as not only the antquary and
the scholar but as the lllum naung
and imaginative critic. a. the pnno-
sophical interpreter OF art ~ lls reia-
tion TO life. This essay IS really
vital contribution 10 music crlIlcisIl'
which should be read by those hateli-
alsuc SSepllcs VINO looH utDi ~.
and nusledi H'-lO.F a. l4 - w.
Gelo.gs e",'I'i'F w. NV b..,;n,, mon
o''e''Nl.e. '''. NIX 49,, o-cat -robIrme
VI VI ,S:Gf,'''Ss 60. n Polland.
o. i'-. - - ..+o- 81.
Inc POI 'C"i tile
only q supeIIcl"l pa " '.5 I'.;.~
and I'D oIoeI 10 i'oi ~ nm. -.
the source o. US 4O..o'o -,
penetrate 10 Jus very SOU 800, nv Wy
OF Ns literature ~ pI.lO'0tIy
and IT'S arr NAeIe 'ne .tv 90 - 10
passions "li' ..'g O'''''''
pc are Io, ',',vo..
A'iH Ic 49,. ~ o,ors will throw
r,b. On tbs wavs and manners Of
s6c;e.v Verv often. thanks 10
is dentb and spontancity, music
is the first indication Of tendencies
which later translate themselves
irto words. and aftcrwerd into
d..ds The Ero.ca symphony an
,tc;,sted bv more than ten wears
ne awakening Of the German ma
t,n Die Noistersinger" and
"Sierfried" proclaimed ten wears
beforehand the imperial triumph
Of Germany
These words give the keynote OF the
$50, tbat art and music are not mere
decorative fringes on tho borders Of