Evening star., 1944-01-13
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,DeU.
SIXTEENTH STREET.

Dear Sir:
DO you think ought to feel ashamed
OF myself for not liking the music of
Brahms? I do not, and cannot, but I
sometimes worry about it. Since COM
ing to Washington from a small town I
nave taken in all the musical events I
could and have run into much Brahms
none of it to my liking. Should I blame
myself wholly, or is there really some
thing about this mans music which is
repelling? Sincerely, M. NJ"
Pyotr Tschaikowsky, Russian musical
genius, had the following to say on the
subject of Brahms:
Certainly he is great musician, even
a master, but in his case the mastery
smothers the inspiration.
SO many preparations and circum-
locutions for what ought to appear and
charm us instantly-and nothing ap-
pears but ennui
emotion.
TT lacks poetry and makes great
pretense to profundity.
ut is an introduction. a preparation
for something excellent, an admirable
not there; we get merely a second ped
estal placed on the first"
Our correspondent will see that she
has excellent support for her belief that
Brahms Is boring.
The best way to listen to the music
OF this master-and surely he is that
is to be doing something else at the
same time.
That is where the radio comes in.
Brahms is overpowering, for many tastes
IN the concert hall, but quite right at
home.
There it is possible to read, or talk, or
knit, or play with the dog, while at the
same time listen to music.
For many years the writer here pub
llcly deprecated the habit of reading
while listening to the radio.
Now he believes he was wrong. He
discovered his mistake by doing, per-
haps the best way. He found himself
one day, bored by the music of the great
Brahms, as it came over the receiver.
He began to read, and soon made a
great discovery, that the ears hear. no
matter what the mind is doing, Just as
the eyes see.
Every one knows how cat, apparently
asleep, still hears the scratching of
mouse
The ears do not have to have the
conscious guiding of the mind to "do
their stuff" They are always on the
alert.
The musically trained mind, no mat
ter to what degree, is able to let the
ears do their own hearing.
In this way the structure of music be-
comes less matter for argument. and
the sounds themselves come more to
the fore.
Since music is, after all, sound, in
varying degrees, this is a good way to
listen to music.
1t is, we believe, the best way for the
average person to listen to Brahms, That
master was a theorist. He lacked some
OF the supple melodic invention which
distinguished Beethoven for instance.
The great thing about good music is
that there is something in it for all
tastes. The difficulty comes in finding it.
To argue about tonal matters is the
one Sure way to lose such beauty and
appeal as any composer has for the in
dividual listener.
1t may be necessary, in the case of
our correspondent and many others, to
shut the mind to Brahms, and to leave
the ears wide open. We have suggested
one way of achieving this. There no
doubt are other ways, short of not
listening at all. We may feel sure that
a master whose works have endured as
long as those Of Brahms has something
good to tell all of us who share the gift
OF musical appreciation and who are
willing to keep open minds as well as
open ears.