New-York tribune., 1919-03-16
The Merit Of Natiue Works
Why the Cause of Natl onai Opera Vas Not Ad-
vonced by BreH and Hugo-Better Works BY
Predecessors Unjustly Relegated to Obscurity
By III. E. krehbiel

subjects of criticism which is fire.
ouently unfair. Nobody knows that
fac. better than the conscientious
critic, who sometimes, on the morning
after, feels himself quite to be as
culpable as the victim of his animad-
versions on the night before Not
that he believes that his Judgment hur-
riedly formed and more hurriedly ex-
pressed was wrong, but because op-
portunity did not offer to lay an am
pie foundation of reason for his ut
terances. He knew what he meant and
why he said what he did, but did his
readers? OF course, he assumes that
the principles and canons which ne
had often expounded in moments of
deliberation had found Judgement in
the minds of the readers, and therefore
did not need to be reiterated Unfort-
unately this assumption is too often
groundless. 1t is careless age and
the newspaper reader is ordinarily a
hasty and unreasoning reader. If he
reads criticism to the end he is
content with the general impression
that his newspaper has praised a per-
formancc of a work or damned it.
There is for him no middle ground.
Neither is there for the performer or
the author
There was singular unanimity in the
critical judgments of the newspaper
reviewers on the subject of the merit
of the two new operas by American
composers which were brought forward
at the Metropolitan Opera House last
Wednesday evening. The greater
musical merit was ascribed to Mr..
Hugo's Temple Dancer" the con-
demnation of the libretto of "Thc
Legend was emphatic, and the express
sion of a belief that the works did not
represent the best that American COM
posers are capable of was unanimous.
The question whether the cause of ma
tional opera (to drop into the current
cant Of the day) had been advanced
was either left in allegiance or answered
in the negative.
The contention that the cause was not
advanced was expressed by The Trib-
une's reviewer, who might have told
why if he had had time and space
to do so. Perhaps he may now. Pri-
marily it was because the operas were
not as meritorious in his opinion as
some of those which had preceded
them. Also, because those meritorious
works had been rclegated to obscurity
after an insufficient trial-just as the
works Of Messrs Breil and Hugo will
be in all probability.
fx-Perhaps + the management is not sto be
blamed for not pursuing altruistic and
patriotic aims at the expense of finan-
cial prosperity; but having professed
purpose to encourage the American
composer it is fair subject for dis
cussion whether it would not pursue
that purpose more wisely and more
beneficially to composer as we'll as the
public by producing an American nov
city earlier in the season than has been
the rule during the eight years in
which it has given native works a
piace in its repertory, giving it trial
before the public and also an oppor-
unity for its authors to remedy the
defects disclosed by the performance.
Not only would it be less costly to pur-
ue this course than the present one of
tagging an opera or two every season,
orclng it into the repertory a few
mes and then relegating it to the
umber room. Of course, operas must
pe seen and heard if their merits are
20 be disclosed.
No one who has knowledge and
experience of operatice productions
expects the first efforts of a COM
POSER to be a masterpiece which shall
i've Tor decades or generations; but
many masterpieces have been con-
flemned on their first production and
rave won that period Of life which is
allied immortality in current HISTORY
afterward. al Barbiere di Siviglia !"
La Traviata," in the older list.
Madama Butterfly" in the newer. arc
ftrIking examples with which the
oungest of our operagoers is familiar.
% we think that operas like Professor
Parker's Mona" and Walter Dam
fosch's "Cyrano do Bergerae" should
rave been allowed better trial than
hey had nt the hands Of MIR. Catti,
5 hsir defects we're obvious, the copse-
giences largely Of the inexperience Of
ihe'r authors, but they had merits
"hlch were incontestabie and might
ave been saved by intelligent revision.
nsn their retention in the repertory
Or second or third season would
ave set standard from which other
@"Dit'oSs composers might have
igarned,
Once when young composer who
H@came a great master showed his frat
ppefa 10 greater master he was
"nhtIy told that the first litter of nun.
pies should be drowned. The rule ia
good' Or at least, safe, one in opcr-
tic criticism, ard the only question
- whether or not the drowning should
% done publicly and at the expense og
nc publics enjoyment and the man
genents money. 1t may not always
% necessary Wise judgment and dis
eretion on the part of the examiners
u scores might obyiate the necesxitv.
Your composer viii tell you that IL
4 only hearing that ig believing In
l.. -