Evening star., 1948-07-25
Gymnastic Art
is I1reSOnle to
Lovers of Music
By Alice Eversmon


because the eye is as busy as the
ear and seldom is a performance
staged without gymnastics of some
kind. 1t is getting to the point
where music, lovely to hear, is un-
lovely to watch as delivered by its
exponents. Few performers are mod
est enough to want to keep their
from intruding into and
above the music itself. 1t is the day
of personal glamour. and music has
become just another medium for its
projection.
Perhaps the audiences and the
constant need of box office appeal
are responsible. in part for this con-
dition. It is not new thing but it
has developed more and more within
the last years. Cases of artistic egos
dominating the concert platform
have been known since time imme-
mortal but many Of these have been
SO extraordinary and outstanding
that some excuse might be in order.
Were there today such personalities.
capable of being musicians of the
highest rank at the same time.
much could be forgiven them. As
it is, a suspicion turks that perhaps
the outward show masks an inner
lack in artists of the present.
Anticipating the Effect.
Most instrumentalists are not con-
tent with actual creation of nuances
in their playing but must indicate
TO the audience when and how they
are going to make them. Thus We
have swaying violinists bending for
ward for a pianissimo or turning
violently from side to side for a
fortissimo. CellistS are not much
quieter, and pianists resort to all
sorts OF contortions of wearying
muscular display Conductors re-
produce the varying aspects of the
music through bodily movements
and so often visualize the effects
that 1t is hardly necessary to listen
for them. Chamber music groups
are never still.
| Why all this is required is hard
to understand. Yet some artists
have attained renown as much for
their gestures as for their per-
| fornances. In the other arts the
Illusion of ease and lack of effort
is maintained but not in music.
The coordination of muscles and
the distribution of weight is i'm
portant for dancers and still more
important for acrobats. What the
audience sees. however, are difficult
and sometimes dangerous feats per-
formed with the utmost simplicity
and without apparent effort. Back
Of it, just the same. Is the thought-
full bodily preparation and the &C
curate adjustment of its mechan-
ism of much the same kind as q
musician requires.
The Artist as q Medium.
The development and the grow
ing popularity of television will do
nothing to remedy the situation.
! In fact, quiet figure on the screen
will not be interesting and some
breakup of repose will be necessary
perhaps to make a performance
lifelike. This can all be accom-
plished, however, in softer manner
than Is used at present. The foun-
cation Of all musical delivery Is re-
| taxation but not the relaxation that
means complete lack of control.
How the two can be combined Is the
/ art of the artist If he be one who
considers himself a medium for the
finest revelation of the music's
meaning.
| The concert public likes a good
show as well as any other kind OF
public. There may be a feeling
that full measure is being deliv-
cred when watching the exertions
of an artist or a conductor. The
eccentricities of artists have often
a box Office drawing power and
are deliberately cultivated. This
is all in line with the trend for
which the motion pictures are re-
sponSible. Personal beauty is rare.
ly the asset of concert artist ex-
cept among the singers so that
something else is substituted. I'm
! fortunately, students come to believe
that this is necessary requisite
of a concert presentation.
Conductors and instrumentalists,
the chief offenders, forget that
music speaks for itself and does
not need such tremendous effort
to get it across. All the details Of
its Interpretation should be worked
out before the concert so that some
thing of repose could enter into
the actual performance, This does
not mean that it should lack life
and fire but the constant move
ment, the visual signs of effort and
the mannerisms should be elimi-
mated Then the ear could absorb
and the eye be at rest and the full.
deep meaning of the music enter
into ope'S mind and co,I1