New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-09
NEWS AND COMMENT OF CONCERT AND OPERA
Moussorgsky, Lyricist
", Schindlers Collections of Russian Songs Reveal
Another Master

forces at work, is as notable here as
in his operas. His children's songs,
inadoquately illustrated by the famous
Narrative Of the Parrakeet" in Boris
Godunof," are almost unparalleled
in this quaint dehcacy. Yet his robust
humor, 80 maSterfully illustrated IN
tho "Honak," comes 10 the surface
many "a time in the present volume,
especially in the songs from his opera,
"Thc Fair at Sorotchinsk.' Mousscrg
sky's love of Russian folksongs and
his power of fusing them with the
established forms arc everywhere ad-
mitted But what is not so generally
recognized is the daring and fertility
Of his technical innovations, admirably
illustrated in the without Sunlight
suite In Retrospect" for instance,
can be found a passage strihngly sug-
gestive of certain parts Of "L'Apres-
midi dun Faun," and those who have
lcad Debussy's early tribute 10 Nous
sorcsky's music will be willing 20 risk
the guess that the one passage was
suggested by the other
Certainly, in the light Of these later
songs, the common theory that Nous
sorgsly suffered from inadequate tech
nical equipment falls to the ground
Mr. SCHNEIDER rejects the theory alto
getheI, mastaining that Moussorgsky
possessed exactly the equipment be
needed, and acquired more as he came
10 require it. He went TO the heart Of
his musical subject matter, and dis
pensed alike with needless notes and
needless graces of form. Out Of this
naivets grew the surprising technique
Of the later songs, which as consciously
carried ON by Debussy, became one of
the major technical innovations of the
kof's slightly scornful words concern
ing the original score Of Boris" which
he felt impelled to doctor for the re-
vfval of the opera, carry less weight
they they used to- Careful students Of
the two scores report that Rimsky's
civilizing touches nowhere improved
and frequently obscured the original.
Certainly the single page containing
the introduction TO the kromlin scene
should put TO sleep the notion that
Moussorgsky was, as Tschaikowsky put
il, merely a talented amateur"
Ones admiration for these Moussorg-
sky lyrics grows as one compares them
with the best that Mr.. SCHNEIDER has
been able to collect from the works of
Balakiref, Tschaikowsky, Rimsky-Kor-
sakof, Borodine, Gretchaninof and
Rachmaninoff for the second volume.
Here are many striking songs, cspe-
cially those by Balakireff and Crotch
aninoT. Others, such as those Of
Rachmaninoff, are admirable chiefly IN
the conventional and academic sense.
Rimsky- h orsakoff, splendid craftsman
that he was, is always well above medi-
ocrity and somewhat below the level Of
genius. The one conspicuous blunder
of the editor is the devoting of quar-
ter Of the volume to a duet, pre- I
pared from Tschsikowsky's incomplete
sketches, for a projected operate YER
sion Of Romeo and Juliet" Such
parts as are not familiar from the over
ture are Indifferent music.
The editor, collaborating with George
Harris, jr, Deems Taylor and Sigmund
Spaeth, has taken much pains with the
English text He has succeeded not so
well as he seems to believe, yet much
better than is the custom with editors
The verse is nearly always singable and
often of poetic quality. At least, the |
editor pledges his word that 1t is faith
full to the import Of the original.
These two volumes offer fresh ma
terial Of distinguished beauty for jaded
concert programmes. Though buried T.
for half a century, they should not
longer remain strange to American
ears. H. n W.