Music Trade Review
Issue: 1898 Vol. 26 N. 14 - Page 8
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
EUGENE SIBLEY WHEELER.
"PLAYING WITH EXPRESSION."
everything according to cast-iron rules, he will
A gentleman who has an intelligent interest tell you that temperament is of no consequence
in music has propounded to me a question whatever.
which has caused some astonishment in my
"It's all a trick," he will say. "Listen."
mind. He asks me what is meant by " play- And in a moment he will recite you a few
ing with expression." He adds that many of lines of pathetic poetry in a heart-breaking
his friends seem to think that it is something voice, and when you begin to look sad he will
that is done on the spur of the moment. A laugh at you. And you will go away con-
performer who has a powerful musical tem- vinced that it is purely a matter of business
perament sits down at the piano and begins and it is unnecessary for an actor to have any
to play. The music takes possession of his feeling at all. But the Coquelins and the
soul and fans into a flame that slumbering Bernhardts and the Modjeskas will not tell
spark of "temperament." This blazing tem- you anything of that kind. They will tell you
perament now fires the whole performance, that the actor cannot simulate any emotion
and the player, letting his fingers go as tem- which he is incapable of feeling. He cannot
perament drives them, overwhelms the audi- pretend that which he does not know; other-
ence with his glorious expression. That, my wise he would create, not interpret.
correspondent tells me, is what, to his great
He must be able to understand the emo-
surprise, he found that most of his friends, tions of every scene in his part before he can
music lovers like himself, think about the convey them to the audience. In a measure
matter. He finds that he cannot agree with the true actor does feel the emotion of the
this view. He desires to know whether he is scene, but the method by which he conveys
not right in believing that expression must be that emotion is the result of study.
the result of study, of preparation, of thought,
The method of expression as practiced by
not of the mere spontaneous promptings of the actor is also that of the musician. It is
temperament.
easiest to perceive the resemblance when the
My correspondent has simply propounded case is that of a singer, for here the musician
for fresh discussion a very old question, and uses all the apparatus of the actor, except
one which affects every branch of interpreta- speech, for which he substitutes song. Has
tive art. Expression is not the sole property any one ever heard M. Jean de Reszke sing
of the musician. It belongs just as much to "Salut demeure" in different ways on differ-
ent nights? That is only a single number,
the actor, the elocutionist, or the public
you may say. Has any one ever known him
reader. The whole matter of study versus to present a Faust different from that which
spontaneity has been discussed thoroughly by is familiar to us? If not, why not? M. Jean
the actors, and artists like Coquelin, Bern- de Reszke has a powerful temperament. Why
EUGENE SIBLEY WHEELER.
hardt and Irving have given their views. The does it not make him play Faust with a
chestral Concerto in C minor has received the question was whether the actor ought to pre- different expression sometimes? Because the
pare beforehand his actions, looks, gestures, conception of Faust which the great tenor
commendation of the highest authorities.
His oratorio, "The Resurrection," is, how- and intonations, or "™~™""—"~™"~~^™~—
ever, the work that has brought him promi- trust to the inspira-
nently into public notice. This has been tion of the moment.
ALL ROADS ARE ALIKE TO A M O N A R C H .
produced in various cities, notably at That was one phase
Perfection is the result of our long
the recent Tennessee Centennial celebra- of the matter. An-
experience.
tion at Nashville, under the baton of other question then
Frank Van Der Stucken, with the Cincinnati arose. Should the
orchestra and Nashville Choral Society of 350 actor actually feel
voices. It was received with the greatest en- the emotions of the
thusiasm, and the young composer was called scene, or coldly sim-
before the audience time and time again. ulate them by care-
The maturity and completeness of the work fully prepared sym-
In o t h e r
was so extraordinary that the Associated bols ?
words,
could
he act
Press devoted considerable space to the work
with
expression
if
and its author, thus making him known
he was not carried
throughout the musical world.
Mr. Wheeler is at present at work, we un- away by his tem-
derstand, on a grand opera entitled "The perament d u r i n g
Star Spangled Banner." It is in three acts the performance,
and is nearing completion. The production but engaged in do-
of such a work in view of the wave of patriot- ing everything with
ism abroad is timely, and Mr. Wheeler's pure i n t e l l e c t u a l
work will be awaited with interest. Friends method?
who have examined portions of the score
Now if you ask
already finished are of the opinion that "The the actor about this
Star Spangled Banner" will create quite a he will answer ac-
furore.
are the product of mechanical ingenuity.
cording to.his kind.
©
If he is in the habit
H. E. Krehbiel delivered a lecture last of trusting to the
Saturday on "Folk-Song in America" at inspiration of the
Sherry's in aid of the Children's Charitable
moment, he will tell
Send for 1898 Catalogue.
Union. He discussed the characteristics of
you
that the purely
Agents wanted in open territory.
the folk-songs which have grown up in
America. They were illustrated, by songs of intellectual method
MONARCH CYCLE MFC. CO.,
the negroes of the Southern States, the is cold and value-
Lake, Halsted and Fulton Streets, Chicago.
Branches—New York, London and Hamburg.
Creoles of Louisiana and Martinique, and the less. If he is in the
Send ten 2-cent stamps for a deck of Monarch Playing Cards illustrating
h a b i t of doiiVg
French Canadians.
Lillian Russell, Tom Cooper, Lee Richardson end Walter Jones.
Among the rising young American musi-
cians of our time Eugene Sibley Wheeler,
whose counterfeit presentment we present
herewith, is highly spoken of by critics and
musicians. Although but in his twenty-
second year he has accomplished much in the
field of composition, and displayed musical
genius that may be termed remarkable. He
has written numerous sacred anthems, vocal
solos and organ selections which are used in
many of the leading churches, and his Or-
MONARCH AND DEFIANCE BICYCLES
$40.00
$50.00
$60.00
Monarch Chainless $100.00
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
EUGENE SIBLEY WHEELER.
"PLAYING WITH EXPRESSION."
everything according to cast-iron rules, he will
A gentleman who has an intelligent interest tell you that temperament is of no consequence
in music has propounded to me a question whatever.
which has caused some astonishment in my
"It's all a trick," he will say. "Listen."
mind. He asks me what is meant by " play- And in a moment he will recite you a few
ing with expression." He adds that many of lines of pathetic poetry in a heart-breaking
his friends seem to think that it is something voice, and when you begin to look sad he will
that is done on the spur of the moment. A laugh at you. And you will go away con-
performer who has a powerful musical tem- vinced that it is purely a matter of business
perament sits down at the piano and begins and it is unnecessary for an actor to have any
to play. The music takes possession of his feeling at all. But the Coquelins and the
soul and fans into a flame that slumbering Bernhardts and the Modjeskas will not tell
spark of "temperament." This blazing tem- you anything of that kind. They will tell you
perament now fires the whole performance, that the actor cannot simulate any emotion
and the player, letting his fingers go as tem- which he is incapable of feeling. He cannot
perament drives them, overwhelms the audi- pretend that which he does not know; other-
ence with his glorious expression. That, my wise he would create, not interpret.
correspondent tells me, is what, to his great
He must be able to understand the emo-
surprise, he found that most of his friends, tions of every scene in his part before he can
music lovers like himself, think about the convey them to the audience. In a measure
matter. He finds that he cannot agree with the true actor does feel the emotion of the
this view. He desires to know whether he is scene, but the method by which he conveys
not right in believing that expression must be that emotion is the result of study.
the result of study, of preparation, of thought,
The method of expression as practiced by
not of the mere spontaneous promptings of the actor is also that of the musician. It is
temperament.
easiest to perceive the resemblance when the
My correspondent has simply propounded case is that of a singer, for here the musician
for fresh discussion a very old question, and uses all the apparatus of the actor, except
one which affects every branch of interpreta- speech, for which he substitutes song. Has
tive art. Expression is not the sole property any one ever heard M. Jean de Reszke sing
of the musician. It belongs just as much to "Salut demeure" in different ways on differ-
ent nights? That is only a single number,
the actor, the elocutionist, or the public
you may say. Has any one ever known him
reader. The whole matter of study versus to present a Faust different from that which
spontaneity has been discussed thoroughly by is familiar to us? If not, why not? M. Jean
the actors, and artists like Coquelin, Bern- de Reszke has a powerful temperament. Why
EUGENE SIBLEY WHEELER.
hardt and Irving have given their views. The does it not make him play Faust with a
chestral Concerto in C minor has received the question was whether the actor ought to pre- different expression sometimes? Because the
pare beforehand his actions, looks, gestures, conception of Faust which the great tenor
commendation of the highest authorities.
His oratorio, "The Resurrection," is, how- and intonations, or "™~™""—"~™"~~^™~—
ever, the work that has brought him promi- trust to the inspira-
nently into public notice. This has been tion of the moment.
ALL ROADS ARE ALIKE TO A M O N A R C H .
produced in various cities, notably at That was one phase
Perfection is the result of our long
the recent Tennessee Centennial celebra- of the matter. An-
experience.
tion at Nashville, under the baton of other question then
Frank Van Der Stucken, with the Cincinnati arose. Should the
orchestra and Nashville Choral Society of 350 actor actually feel
voices. It was received with the greatest en- the emotions of the
thusiasm, and the young composer was called scene, or coldly sim-
before the audience time and time again. ulate them by care-
The maturity and completeness of the work fully prepared sym-
In o t h e r
was so extraordinary that the Associated bols ?
words,
could
he act
Press devoted considerable space to the work
with
expression
if
and its author, thus making him known
he was not carried
throughout the musical world.
Mr. Wheeler is at present at work, we un- away by his tem-
derstand, on a grand opera entitled "The perament d u r i n g
Star Spangled Banner." It is in three acts the performance,
and is nearing completion. The production but engaged in do-
of such a work in view of the wave of patriot- ing everything with
ism abroad is timely, and Mr. Wheeler's pure i n t e l l e c t u a l
work will be awaited with interest. Friends method?
who have examined portions of the score
Now if you ask
already finished are of the opinion that "The the actor about this
Star Spangled Banner" will create quite a he will answer ac-
furore.
are the product of mechanical ingenuity.
cording to.his kind.
©
If he is in the habit
H. E. Krehbiel delivered a lecture last of trusting to the
Saturday on "Folk-Song in America" at inspiration of the
Sherry's in aid of the Children's Charitable
moment, he will tell
Send for 1898 Catalogue.
Union. He discussed the characteristics of
you
that the purely
Agents wanted in open territory.
the folk-songs which have grown up in
America. They were illustrated, by songs of intellectual method
MONARCH CYCLE MFC. CO.,
the negroes of the Southern States, the is cold and value-
Lake, Halsted and Fulton Streets, Chicago.
Branches—New York, London and Hamburg.
Creoles of Louisiana and Martinique, and the less. If he is in the
Send ten 2-cent stamps for a deck of Monarch Playing Cards illustrating
h a b i t of doiiVg
French Canadians.
Lillian Russell, Tom Cooper, Lee Richardson end Walter Jones.
Among the rising young American musi-
cians of our time Eugene Sibley Wheeler,
whose counterfeit presentment we present
herewith, is highly spoken of by critics and
musicians. Although but in his twenty-
second year he has accomplished much in the
field of composition, and displayed musical
genius that may be termed remarkable. He
has written numerous sacred anthems, vocal
solos and organ selections which are used in
many of the leading churches, and his Or-
MONARCH AND DEFIANCE BICYCLES
$40.00
$50.00
$60.00
Monarch Chainless $100.00
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).