New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-09
By Katharine Wright

A book OF musical essays, LA
Musique ct les Nations" (Music Of the
Nations), by the distinguished French
authority on matters musical, NJ. G.
Jean-Aubry, has just been published by
J. g. W. Chester, Ltd, of London. 1t is
dedicated to the memory Of Robert
Mouren, ''killed by the enemy, October
%, 1917, to whom / owe twelve years
OF constant and discreet encourage
ment of my thought and unforgetable
expressions Of perfect friendship"
Many will remember NJ. -Aubry's
preceding volume French Music of To-
day." in which the author paid tribute
to the composers of his own land. In
his preface, he calls his present volume
3 continuation Of the first, for the
patriotic spirit which prompted him to
proclaim tho merits of French music
also aroused in him feeling Of obliga-
tion toward composers Of other nation
alities. In sense "La Musique ct les
Nations" was also inspired by the
World War, for with the nationalist
sentiments Of every fighting country
stirred to white heat there was cor
responding awakening to the sgnifi-
canoe Of national music. The move
ment known as musical naturalization
has been going on in Europe since 1860,
but, according to M. Jean-Aubry, the
recent conflict is largely responsible for
important advances in this direction.
For one thing he considers the prom
inence lately assumed by the music of
France, England, Russia and Italy as a
body blow to the position of supremacy
so long occupied by German music. He
points out that during the course of
the nineteenth century as Germany
grew in political and material power
there was a perceptible decline in her
music. Yet, M. Jean-Aubry does not
write in q spirit Of chauvinism. He
says:
"The German aggression Of 1914 and
the evidences Of an inferior civiliza-
ton shown by Germany during the
course of these five years of warfare
must not lead US to overlook the fact
that since the second half of the eigh-
teenth century she has played an i'm
portant musical role. 1t would be un-
gracious to wish to dim the names of
Bach, of Beethoven, Of Schumann or of
Schubert, and there would be consider
able difficulty in denying the genius of
Richard Wagner. =.
"But, having recognized the indis-
putable grandeur Of Bach, the power
of Beethoven, the charm Of Schumann,
the freshness of Schubert, is there any
just or profitable reason why all mu-
sic written from the middle of the
eighteenth until the nineteenth CEN
fury should be attributed to these COM
posers alone2 :.
MuSlCal lHSITuCClon, even IN our
day, still rests solely and entirely upon
the German classics. That they should
be considered as a part, a large part,
perhaps the largest part, is wholly
just; but to keep musical apprentices
in ignorance Of the musical history,
the works and commanding figures of
their own and of other countries for
the sole benefit Of. German art, this
passes the limits Of justice and COM
mon sense"
Doubtless the World War, as M. jean
Aubry says, stimulated the pride of ma
tions in the works of native composers,
but in his researches regarding the
birth and development Of nationalism
In music the French writer delves fur
Their back into the past and finds in
Franz List champion of this cause
In his first chapter, "Liszt and Musi-
cal Nationalism," he points out that the
Hungarian was in direct relation with
the founders Of the national schools of
music in Europe of his day. He en-
MYSTICAL INSTRJCTJON