Evening star., 1948-12-16
This and That
By Charles z. Tr1ce1Dell
"GAITHERSRr1RG M

1A11EERSBURG Mo.
Dear Sir:
I'VE can hardly conceive Of the Christmas
season without being aware of its intimate
association with beautiful music, so am ap-
pealing to you for q timely column on music
and to emphasize the wonderful Joy and salts
faction that may be had from really relax
ing and listening to good records Of some Of
the worlds finest music.
"And may I be bold enough to name my
choice Of master works:
"Bach's Concerto for two Nolins, in minor
"Handel's Water Music.
"Mendelssohns italian Symphony.
"Tschaikovskys Fourth Symphony.
IF one will listen to these understandingly
finishing with "The Londonderry Air." for
quiet, harmonious, inspiring melody-the Lin
coin address of all, to me-the listener will
have had, in my judgment, a musical evening
almost without equal.
May ask musical question: good many
years ago friend of mine had Victor record
ing Of one of the Beethoven string quartettes,
exquisitely rendered by the F1onzaley Quartet,
in which there is an outstanding graceful and
fascinating minuet movement
ITO this day have been unable to ascertain
the number of that particular quartet. Can
you help me?
Sincerely, 8. P. r."
&&
The old F1onzaley Quartette made four Bee
thoven quartette recordings for Victor. They
were the Quartette No 2 In G major, Quartette
No. 4 in minor, Quartette No. Il in fiat
major, and Quartette No. 16 in major.
These are old records, and we are not sure
they can be secured any more, but any good
dealer ought to be able to tell you.
The No. 2 Quartette was In album MT,
records 1918 to 1921. The Quartette No. was
not the whole quartette, but just the minuetto,
This Is probably the number wanted by our
correspondent. The No. IL Quartette was
album M-153, records 1929 to 1888. The No.
1s was in album M-s, records 1922 to 1925.
(This includes the nainuetto mentioned)
Every record enthusiast would have his own
list of great music" and probably no two Of
them would agree on single item. That is
one of the reasons why music is wonderful.
Music Is mood, music is emotion Many per-
sons talk about understanding" music only
because the mind has been elevated to such a
high position. Most musical listeners would
be better off to forget about the mind in music.
1t takes q musical intelligence to create music,
but once it is created it requires two ears and
an understanding heart to love it.
Not every listener, for instance, will like the
Londonderry Air. sometimes called Danny
Boy"
We know one ardent music lover who puts
his fingers over his ears every time he hears it!
He cannot, he says, stand it,
| Perhaps every true music lover will have
| OIlc SUCH piece GIldI DOIcS IlIIl. ne WOulQ
| be the last in the world to understand why.
Even the lover of popular music will have
here and there some one song that he simply
cannot tolerate
We know several devoted friends of good
music who secretly dislike Beethovens famous
Symphony No. g.
They call it "hurdy-gurdy music" and sell
dom listen to 1t on their own machines. Un-
| fortunately, some orchestras do play this work
in a solid, square, German sort of fashion.
The beauty of modern records is that every
one fond Of music may listen to just the music
he likes. He may feel that symphony of
Bruckner, for instance, has more religious feel
ing in it, and therefore is more fitting for the
| Christmastide.
Good music is all things to all listeners.
What one likes ought to rule, but there should
be no argument about it. Remember the old
Roman maxim, There is no disputing in ques-
! tions of taste"
| In this connection let us quote from long
letter from F. S. D. Of Silver Spring: my pet
peeve around Christmas time is the lack of
| Christmas cards-oh yes, there are cards, most
of them beautiful, but very few about Christ
| mas some of them even eliminating the word
Christ by having the sentiments read Sea-
| sons greetings"
We'll. maybe Nz.. D. has something there.