Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-25

in fragments from the lips or the in
sane Ophelia. Her songs are made
doubly pathetic by the light music
which she sings, as tiny candle at
times serves TO make darkness more
dreadful
Familiar With Dances.
| Shakespeare was equally familiar
with the dances OF the day, and We
may surmise that he often tEipped the
light fantastic toe. In Twelfth
Night" he alludeS to the Galliard, Co
ranto. Cinque-pass, Passa-Me and
used in Much Ado About Nothing"
The Cinque-pass was a quaint. five
step dance used as a simile for the
ricketiness of old age. In Romeo and
Juliet" the page causes Peter to de-
sire the musicians to play him a
merry dump" to comfort his sorrow.
This is one of the playful contradic-
lions which Shakespeare 80 much en-
Soyed, for he might as well have de-
nandee a iovial funeral GRAFTON, since
| the dump was slow, mournful dance
and gave rise TO the modern saying,
being in the dumps" Among the
oldest English dances alluded to was
the Morris dance-often trial of
physical endurance, as the dancers
frequently sought to dance each other
.iown. The stately measures. of the
aristocracy in England, Italy and
France were chiefly professional ard
consisted in the dancers initiating the
steps and gestures Of the first couple.
which explains Beatrice's saying ia
g. a. AYTHth
ing" I'VE must follow the leaders" !
Leaving the technical reference u
music with which Shakespeare teens,
let us note the tributes to the art :.
general which the poet gives, and the
enthusiasm, which 1t evidently In
spires in him. Into the mouth Of Lor-
EMO in the Merchant of Eenica"
Shakespeare puts these words:
The man that hath not music IN
himself,
Nor is not moved with concord OF
: sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and
spoils;
The motions Of his spirit are dull as
night, -.r
And his affections dark as Erebus.
Let no such man be trusted. Mark
the music" . E'...l.... ID.
This is not to be taken too literally
but Shakespeare seems to intimate,
at least, that lack Of musical ap-
.preciation is to be viewed with sus.
picion, for in Julius Caesar" Caesar
speaks Of dislike of music being one
of the causes of his distrnst Of Cas-
sius: H.. :.
II do not know the man / should avoid
AS soon as that spare Cassius, He
. reads much; -
he ia a great observer, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men; he
loves no plays
As thou dost, Antony; he hears no
music" Ill. 49,. ~.
= Shakespeare's love Of folk song
finds expression when he makes the
Euke in Twelfth Night" say:
Now, good Cesario, but that piece OF
! song,
That old and antique song We heard
last night; ssfT .ss1
Methought it did relieve nay passion
tr much; t$.a@ N'%' ~
More than light airs and recollected
terms,
OF these most brisk and giddy-paced
times: A. 81 80
Come, but one verse s.....f,.s s...t
After poet arises in any age or
nation who Is dear to the people, there
is certain to follow tone-poet who
will set music to the words that have |
exerted such power, and thus bring
them still closer to the popular heart.
The influence of Shakespeare has
been exercised upon ! composers OF
three centuries, and of all the civil
lied countries of the earth. Shake
speare's plays have been called the
"HaIf Way House" on the road to
Opera. Shakespeare has furnished
more operate ibrettos than any other
poet in the world. Oyertures, SYM
phonies, symphonic poems, hundreds
of songs, as well as many piano tran |
scriptions of the same, have sprung |
from his plays "An the world loves
a lover" and il seems natural to find
Romeo and Juliet" more used must |
eally than any other of the plays.
There are IL different operas made |
from this text, famous symphony, |
great overture and numerous other
instrumental works, so We see that |
Romeo and Juliet" Inspired good |
sized musical library in itself.
Shakespeare Opera Not Popular. |
Prolific as is the music inspired by
Shakespeare's plays, and much OF It
of intrinsic worth and beauty, still the
Shakespeare opera has never become |
popular. This is quite likely because !
of the difficult and dangerous task OF
turning Shakespearean plays into
librattos. 1t has been truly said that
"peryersions of literary masterpieces
such as opera composers usually &C.
eomplish can never be endured with
patience by the people of whose Ian
guage, life and art the masterpieces
are part" A few operas are notable
exceptions, and of these We will speak
further later in the program,
Why did Shakespeare have songs
at all in his plays? Many good plays
are written without them. Why did
ha inYroduce Them in particular !