New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-27

had purpose and a name
about seven years old then and.1
seeing my first performance of 'Unele r.,
Cabin AS sat there, deep in the gries I.
little Eva's death scene, something over,va.,
ingly sad and timed to the agonizing momss,
made large lump rise in my thrsas ~
brought detested tears to my eyes. An 49,.
orchestra was playing "sMy Old Kentua.
Home" and somewhere in the flies eforas !.
colored men and women were singina !,
mournful words dolefully. This was @fne;aa
tai music" and the effect it had on mn Sc,
never forget Later, however, beyan
know when it was due and to watch a.,
approach, for it was regular concornt.,,.,
"ten-twenty thirty-cent" matineeg which Il.
tended regularly, and it invariably toot s.
form of "The Flower Song"
The term Incidental music is on,.o.
that kind which is played during the a,t;o, !.
drama, and is not to be confusad ,.;,t
entr' acte and overture music In Flizsbe.s.s
days contemporaneous drama included inc;dar
tai music, especially songs. Later. tho ef.sd
ard composers of all nations gave fhem.eIv..
UP seriously to the writing of this forn, a
music. Beethoven composed the "Eeraontp
score, Weber composed the "Preciosa. score
said to be the cause for the present raten.
ton of this work in German repertore--and
Mendelssohn wrote the famous 'Midsumno,
Nights Dream" The genius of Sir Arthur
Sullivan was first heard through the incidental
music he wrote for "The Tempest"
Margaret Anglin has always been fond n
using incidental music, and three of her repant
plays offer some Of the most elaborate es.
amples of the type known to the American
stage. Nevertheless, her use Of incidents,
piano music in "The Bronze Wcnen' could
scarcely be justified from the standpoint Of
modern realism. While she conided her secret
sufferings to friend in the play, pianist
ostcnsibiy entertaining her other guests, orna
mented 81 speeches with motifs and cadenzas
The effect was pleasing, but artificial In her
production of Joan of Arc" however the ef-
feet was quite different, as the entr'ac music
of Tschaikowsky, played by full orchestra,
coalesced with the incidental music, thus Great.
ing a continuity.
Sometimes incidental music is so effective
that it defeats its own purpose. The single
musical number in "The Charm School, almost
brought that charming play to stop and
transformed it into comic opera In antrsst
the music in Spanish Love- was notable for
its close relationship to the plot. A similar
impression Of extemporaneous unity was ere
ated in "The Harlequinade." Here Whitford
Kane, as lovable old man, chatters intimately
with little girl about the play itself and the
characters, and when the action beings he re-
marks quite simply, Emusic, Miss Hale and
the music straightway begins At the same
time, the curtain rises, the actors appear ara
action commences.
Ordinarily, it is dangerous to let character
manifest his musical genius in play, for, no.
matter how great his personal ability may De,
it never reaches the preconceived abstract con-
ception created in the minds of the audience
In "Pagans," a. recent play, the effect was
almost ludicrous when the prima donna, sup
posedy unexcelled, sang ofzstage. More con
vincing was the use of incidental music IN ''lae
Greater Love-" which closed with SchubeH
dying while directing his own Requiem.
Without attempting to establish an sr0F
trary principle, it will be interesting to pom
oat briefly the definite effect that incidental
music has had in soma recent plays. In Eyes
of Youth" the Incidental music off stage anpa-
fed the surroundings and created the inapres
sion of another complete theater adjoining ire
heroine's dressing room. AS the curtain was
about to rise she, in the role of an infariatea
prima donna, refused to go on, and one could
hear the overture of Louise advancing
cruelty as she stormed and wept In Enter
Madame" local color was convincingly davel-
oped by means of the impromptu concert y
the Italian servants in the midst Of the dinner
scene. The wholesomeness of the two young
lovers was beautifully evidenced in the ine-
dental music of "Mr PIN Passes BY i
which several scenes were effectively consuR
mated by means of q captivating high noR
In Daddy Dumplins" the effect Of pover's
and pathos was created by cello unaeeos
PANIED, coming presumably from gsrfss
above
An indescrihable impression of horror 9ss
created in "The Green Goddess" by the fs'
Off singing of the cruel natives. But eaiInuss
tive horror, quite unparalleled was createa
the use of the drum in Eugene O'Neill's plas
The Emperor Jones, q study in fear. Draas
began to beat as fear entered the breast 81 g
hero, and they continued to beat with al ~
dislntegrating insistence of complete maensss'
Mention Sho,,l,{ be mo 40 alS, of fhe merry