Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-02
Bv HENRIETTE M. REES.

Der 8.
The visit Of this choir to Oma-
ha will be interesting to the seri-
Gus music lover for two reasons.
One is that it will give the decided
contrast of two types of music
which have flourished in Italy, and
the other more important reason
is because it will bring to the con-
cert platform, some of the highest
types of polyphonic music. Just
last week we revelfed in the florid
vocal display of Italian opera, as
presented by the great operate
composer, Verdi, the two operas
presented being of the highest type
of this style OF music.
The Vatican Choirs will present
music which is intellectual rather
than emotional, spiritual, rather
than dramatic, and music of an en-
tirely different age and character
than any perhaps which has before
been presented to concert goers OF
this country. To the serious musi-
clan, the concert is of historical i'm
portance.
To the average person, polyphon-
ic, and contrapuntal music means
but little. Yet the science of coun-
terpoint was developed through as
sociation with the church, and au-
thorities in music say that the
modern art Of. music could not ex-
ist without it. Counterpart was
the procedure of composing used
BY the old masters and Palestrina
was perhaps the greatest master OF
this type of composition
We are all used to harmony, in
which chords are combined, modi-
fled or linked together. But har-
mony one might say is OF music
written vertically, while contrapun-
tai music is written horizontally.
The name counterpoint means note
against note, point against point:
The plain song, or chant is used
as a foundation, and the other parts
are set against this without con-
sideration OF the chord thus formed,
but taking account only the rela-
ton between these notes.
Thus one listens to this old
style music horizontally, and one
finds melody introduced by one
voice, a model, or pattern for the
composition which follows it. The
same melody peeps out almost I'M
mediately from another voice, per-
haps each part as it enters an
nounces the same melodic theme.
But as these voices enter the other
parts are not idle, they are carry
ing the melody on, either matching
it by some complimentary pattern,
enlarging upon it, or making ITS
values less than those of the orig
inat model.
/, Some etimes the melody is initiated
IN another interval. sometimes It IS
turned upside down, or reversed,
according to the skill and musical
taste OF the composer. The result
is beautiful musical fabric, in
which the many strands are woven
together according to the basis OF
an original simple design, some
thing perhaps as the same pattern
il carried through and elaborated
in the best. examples OF oriental
rugs s,..s- 4
But in the days when contrapuntal
music was at it's height, it was not
always "a beautiful fabric which re-
suited. Many times it was merely
many voiced Juggling Of notes. Mu-
sicaI puzzles were worked out, and
crab canons, which are form in
which the piece may be read back
wards as we'll as forwards. The
music may be turned upside-down.
and started at either end and it will
be played or sung the same. Very
clever, OF course, but not necessarily
artistic But the various species OF
counferpoint cover the, whole range
Of composition, and the. man with
inspiration to burn, who is also thf
master of~the. art lof setting many
voices together correctly according
to the grammar of music, is the
really great composer. To write a
melody for one voice and have it
satisfy accepted musical taste,< is
one thing, and quite rare accom-
plishment these days, but to write
melodies for several voices, and
have them deal with, the. same mu-
sical subject, and fit together and
also satisfy musical taste, that is
another. This is what the finest
type Of polyphonic music Is, and ex-
amples Of this high type OF musical
are are what will be presented by
the Vatican choiSs.
The music Of Palestrina repre-
sents the purest type OF this poly
phonic music, and his style, exempt
from all earthly passions, has re-
manned from his time, 1884 to 1894,
to the present day, as the purest
type Of liturgieal po1yphony.
The opening program Of the sea-
sons series under the auspices of
the Tuesday Musical club. will be,
given on Monday evening, Novem-
ber II, when Sophie Braslau, con-
tralto, and Albert Spa1ding, violin
ist, will be presented at the Brandeis
theater. Il
Miss Bras1au was engaged to
sing in Omaha with the Chicago
Opera company. but illness pre-
vented her appearance at that time.
She is noted as one of Americas
leading concert and operate artists
She is contralto who not only is.
said to possess rarely beautiful
voice, but one who is a musician
as we'll Before studying voice she.
wassa pianist. and began the study
of voice purely for the love of it,
Her success has been sure and cer-
tain, and her engagement with the
Metropolitan Opera company is one.
of the results Of her thorough mu-
sical equipment. Her motto has
been study and more study, and it is
one which could be adopted by many
other aspiring singers with success.