Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
the two composers were at dinner, and
Schubert contributed the words and the
music was composed by Liszt."
Everybody is trying to be analytical and
to explain why this came to be so, or how
that happened to be something else; but
poor Prof. Skilton is too fatally twisted,
and the pity is that the reporter could not
straighten him out before such an excru-
ciatingly funny statement reached day-
light. However, there are just as ludicrous
things given out every day. People talk
too much nowadays; at least, the wrong
people talk about musical subjects.
This fad of musical lectures is a very
good one to be sure, but the lecturer should
at least have a little understanding of mu-
sical matters, and those who are permitted
to print musical news ought to be present-
ed with a month's board and lodging at the
Boston Public Library, where the Allen
Brown's collection might help them to be-
come full-fledged critics.
| T is utterly useless at the beginning of
the season, to state who is and who is
not coming to the country. After steady
denials that Calve is to come, rumor now
has it that she will be in her place when
Grau's curtain goes up in New York.
Edward Lloyd announces that he will
come, then that he will not, ad infinitum.
When the time comes we shall see what we
shall see.
BISPHA/VS DATES.
DISPHAM joins the Grau Opera Coni-
L
' pany in San Francisco November 12,
but before this time the array of concert
engagements that he is filling is simply
astonishing. The following may prove
his popularity. He opened his season
October 20, at Hanford College, Pa. ; Oct.
22, Aurora; Oct. 23, Pittsburg; Oct. 24,
Hanford College; Oct. 25, Brooklyn In-
stitute; Oct. 26, Lenox, Mass.; Oct. 30,
Paterson, N. J. ; Oct. 31, Springfield,
Mass.; Nov. 1, Newark; Nov. 2, Hanford;
Nov. 7, Colorado Springs; Nov. 8, Denver.
VICTOR HERBERT IN BOSTON.
A N unusual interest has been manifested
^ * in the Pittsburg orchestra under its
leader, Victor Herbert, in Boston, where
they played a week's engagement at the
Exposition. Large numbers flocked to the
music hall, and much applause was show-
ered upon the players and their popular
conductor. It was by no means insignifi-
cant for Herbert to come into Boston with
his orchestra and to receive such treatment
from the press and the public, as Boston
is nothing if not critical.
LEOPOLD WINKLER.
A NUMBER of concerts are planned by
**• this excellent pianist for this season,
the first to be given at Knabe Hall very
shortly.
}
I
A PLAIN TALK TO VOCAL STUDENTS.
BY THE
EDITOR.
of thunder might be construed to mean
ARTICLE II.
]Y| OW let us look at the voice in its sec- battle, so that music without language is
*• ^ ond capacity as a manner of expres- very indefinite. Please understand, I do
sion. Before coming directly into this not mean absolute music, or music where-
subject there are two details which belong in the musical form and the structure are
as much to tone production as they do to of scientific interest to the musician.
diction, style and interpretation which rep-
Let me say a word here upon the subject
resent the elements of the voice as an ex- of absolute music and program music.
pression. Breathing is what I would speak Absolute music is that which is built upon
of, and correct breathing is as necessary musical form, without anything in mind
for correct tone production as it is for long except music, with reference to music
phrases, so that too much attention cannot only. The sonata, the symphony, the con-
be bestowed upon this, as it is the sine qua certo, are absolute music, built accord-
non of singing.
ing to theoretical and grammatical laws.
The other point is the speaking voice This music represents to connoisseurs a
and diction. The same care should be ex- theme, the working out, embellishments,
ercised with the tone placing of the voice modulations and innumerable things all
whether giving orders to the servants or distinct from any and everything in life
hailing a street car as in the practice of the except the art of music.
most intricate song. A perfectly placed
On the other hand, program music is
speaking voice, one that vibrates, radi- written to express in music some phase of
ates and carries, is over half the battle of life. The subjects selected are usually well-
tone placing won, and a careful pronun- known historical or mythological ones;
ciation, enunciation and understanding sometimes entire poems are used and some-
of modulations (not in a musical sense) is times only a word. A good example of
almost the balance. Therefore, look to this sort of writing is Saint Sacns " Danse
your speaking voice and place it just as Macabre," through which every note means
you are taught to place it in song, for out- something, because you know that the
side of its being a requisite of requisites writer was trying to express the Dance of
for vocal purposes, it has a value all its Death; you know that he meant to portray
own.
the rattle of the bones and the crowing of
The speaking voice, like the mind, is the cock at morn. Of his symphonic poem,
only given to man, the highest type of an- '' Rouet d'Omphale," you need a little more
imal life, and there is a strong connection of the story, and then you can follow every
between the voice and the mind—the measure and fit every sound to the word
higher the mental cultivation the greater it means to convey. When you see the title
is the degree of beauty of the speaking Overture to King Lear or to Hamlet, you
need no further explanation; your mind
voice.
You may not realize it, but about the will supply the well-known story.
first thing which strikes a man upon meet-
Suppose just one word—say Romance—
ing a woman is her voice, and attrac- be the name of the selection, it is enough;
tion or repulsion occurs just as the voice you need not know what was the compos-
brings forth. It was not my intention to er's romance; you probably have romances
dwell so long upon the speaking voice, but enough of your own and you will fit the
the subject has a great bearing in the case. music to your thought. Now this is under-
To the student of character there is, standing music through suggestion—it is
perhaps, no book so open as the voice. even, in a slightly remote sense, music as
Watch it—for it means much, too much understood by spoken language — but it
for detail at the present moment, so we is certainly not a language by itself.
will take up the voice as a method of ex- Take that most noted, almost notorious
pression. As a matter of course, music is piece of descriptive music, Death and
independent of words, that is music in its Apotheosis of Richard Strauss, enter the
fullest sense. I do not know that pure and concert room without knowing what the
simple melody would be any more enjoy- orchestra is playing, do you believe for a
able on an instrument than it would be to moment that you will hear the gasps, the
hear the voice unaccompanied and without death-rattle and all that which is spoken
words sing for any length of time. Not- of as disgusting realism unless you know
withstanding the claim is made that music what the composition is? Never.
is a language of itself, it only takes one
It is the union of language, which is
moment to prove this untrue, as language something definite, and music, which is
is definite and states something, while something ideal, that gives you tone pic-
music represents a state of thought often tures.
impossible to describe in language, and it
The more elevated your thought and
is very far from being self-explanatory, no the more susceptible you are to eleva-
matter how vivid it may be.
tion, the more noble will the music seem
Take for instance, a soft, slow, minor to you, the more will it emulate the desire
passage. Ask ten people what this means for the good and pure in life. It is only by
to portray—the first will say melancholy, the union of words to music by co-relation
the next tenderness, the next sympathy, or suggestion that could ever in any sense
the next peace, the next love, the next degrade music pure and simple,
(To be continued.)
grief, etc-, etc, Even the representation