Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE PLAYER-PIANISTS' DEPARTMENT
[It is in every way eminently desirable that a publication
which undertakes to give so much space and so authoritative
a treatment to the great player industry, as does The Re-
view, should not neglect what is after all the real excuse
for the player's existence, namely, the music that is evokerf
from it. Recognizing the extraordinary importance of do-
ing everything possible to spread more widely appreciation
and love for music among player-pianists, The Review's
Player Section for the present month contains below, and
will in future regularly contain, a department devoted to
the musical interests of player-pianists and of the player-
piano. Each month one musical article of general interest
will appear, together with useful hints, notes and comments.
This is in addition to the regular sub-section of the Player
Section which analyzes the monthly issues of music rolls.
Professional demonstrators, salesmen and player-pianists of
every degree will find each month on the "Player-Pianist's"
page of 1he Player Section much valuable information. And
the Editor of the Player Section will at all times be glad
to answer inquiries on any and all musical player matters.]
BEETHOVEN'S OVERTURES.
The "Leonore" Overture No. 3.
Beethoven wrote but one opera, "Fidelio." At
the time of its first production it was anything but
a success. The public was beginning to form a
taste for the vapid and mushy music which later
formed the basis of Italian opera of the Bellini
style, where the orchestra, as Berlioz said, is but
a huge guitar. Moreover, the intensely dramatic
quality of the story on which Beethoven's work
was based, its gloom, tragedy and intensity, seemed
to be too much for the merry Viennese. So the
opera, after a short and stormy career, was with-
drawn.
To-day, however, we are wiser. "Fidelio" finds
a place in the affections of all true music-lovers
and is performed many times annually throughout
the world.
Its story concerns the triumph of wifely love.
Beethoven, whose reverence for womanhood was
deep and sincere, threw all the weight of his genius
into making a musical setting worthy of the sub-
ject. Leonore, the wife of Florestan, a gentleman
who has been imprisoned on a false charge by the
governor of a city, who is in love with the lady,
goes through fire and water to rescue her spouse.
She disguises herself as a man, being known as
"Fidelio;" in fact, obtains service in the jailer's
family, where the daughter falls in love with her,
and finally brings about the intervention of the
Minister of Justice, who at the supreme moment
of the opera enters the prison and sets Florestan
free.
Beethoven wrote no less than four overtures to
"Fidelio." Three of these are known respectively
as Leonore Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The other is gen-
erally called the "Fidelio" overture. The No. 3
Leonore is a revision and refinement of the No. 2.
Various changes were made by Beethoven for dif-
ferent performances of the opera, which was re-
hearsed, presented, withdrawn, rehearsed again,
presented again and withdrawn again. This pro-
cess was repeated several times, and the situation
was aggravated by the stubbornness of Beethoven,
who would not allow a line of his precious work
to be altered.
The overture generally known as "Leonore No.
3" is not alone the most familiar, but the finest of
the set. Wagner says that Beethoven was never
happy while confined within the limits of operatic
form, and that he relieved himself, as it were, by
putting all his concentrated genius into this over-
ture, which is an epitome of the whole opera and
even a more sincerely truthful presentation of the
subject matter than the work to which it is a pre-
lude.
While this view may be extreme, we shall
not be wrong if we suppose that Beethoven did
intend to portray in his overture the complete idea
of the opera. And that he succeeded in a mar-
velous manner no one will be inclined to deny—
no one, at least, whose opinion amounts to any-
thing.
The "Leonore No. 3" is not built up out of ex-
cerpts from the opera. Its principal motives are
suggestive, not imitative. In two places, however,
we find actual themes from the body of the work,
j!
i
j!
as at the climax of the overture where the trum-
It need hardly be said that the best way to gain
pet sounds in the distance, announcing the en-
a proper interpretative idea of this overture is to
trance of the Minister of Justice. This is im-
hear it played with grand orchestra. It forms a
mediately suggestive of the scene in the opera
staple on the concert programs of all our great
where Florestan and Leonore hear the flourish of
symphony organizations. But if this is impos-
trumpets, which presages freedom. This is fol-
sible, the suggestions and hints here given may be
lowed, both in opera and overture, by Leonore's of some definite value.
beautiful song of joy, showing that Beethoven in
writing the overture intended to suggest the course
of events as they occur in the opera itself.
The overture opens with a great chord in C,
sounded fortissimo, which'gradually dies down into
The Fear of Music.
nothingness. There follows a series of descend-
One cannot find reasons for all human peculiari-
ing chords which end in a short motive. After a
pause the music swells up again in ascending ties, though sometimes excuses may be discovered.
Yet it would be more than just interesting if we
broken chords, running more and more rapidly
could lay our fingers on some of the causes for
till the principal subject of the overture is brought
in. After some working over of this the second those mental singularities which from time to time
subject appears.' This is one of the most appeal- amuse, shock or astound us. Among these none
ing and pathetic cries that ever was voiced in is more astonishing than what may aptly be called
"the fear of music." And yet, at first sight, what
music. It is wonderful.
After some further development the music rap- would seem more impossibly absurd than that
idly mounts to a climax. A pause and the sound people should "fear" music. And doubtless an ex-
of trumpets is heard, faintly. When played with planation of the implied idea is needed. We are
grand orchestra, or at the opera, the trumpets nre not dealing in rhetorical subtleties, however, but in
sounded off-stage. The lovely song of Leonore is plain truth when we say that many people are,
gently voiced. Once more the trumpet sounds. in fact, afraid of music. Certainly in this country
Then the overture returns majestically to the of ours there is enough music made. Everybody
themes which appeared in the first part, and moves has a piano already and everybody soon will
have a player-piano. But this does not alter the
to a glorious end with a magnificent coda.
Some suggestions are apt for the player-pianist essential truth uttered above. It still remains that
this "fear" of music is an active and annoying
who may be drawn towards this overture. Of
course, the piano arrangement is but a suggestion. symptom of conditions which very definitely exist.
It is like a fine engraving made after a great pic- Let us look at this matter a little closely.
Why do people say, with a mingling of pride
ture. Though the actual colors are not there they
may be suggested vividly. With a good arrange- and defiance, that they "know nothing about
music"? Why do people utterly refuse to make
ment and a good player-piano, the suggestion of
orchestral effect, the piling of climax on climax any attempt at understanding any sort of music
may be simulated wonderfully well. But this re- above the rank of the rawest tinpannery? Why is
quires care and study. There is no sense in at- it that throughout this country a distressingly large
tempting to render this work with the player-piano proportion of the population still seems to regard
unless one is prepared to take the trouble of find- a knowledge of things musical as the heritage of
a chosen few? Is it that the old Puritan horror
ing out what it all means.
It is to be remembered that the opening of the of music as an invention of the devil still holds
overture is signalized by a great fortissimo chord, sway? And, again, does this possibility also ac-
which gradually d'es away. This can be simulated count for the fact that most of the music which is
by sounding the chord very strongly and then hold- very well known to everybody is also generally
ing it with the sustaining lever (or button) till very bad? Does it account for the further fact
the vibrations of the strings have nearly died that even much of sacred music is incredibly bald
away. The short motive which follows the de- and trivial, if once dissociated from its context?
scending chords should be played gently and These are all most interesting questions and they
lightly. The first theme is hurried, nervous and ought to be answered.
energetic. The second theme is to be played with
The "Artificial" Idea.
as much of a suggestion of pathos as can be given.
The plain fact of the matter is that we have been
Good phrasing is necessary here. The third phrase taught for a long time to regard music as an ac-
especially is important. Then the first great climax complishment, an acquired taste, like the taste for
should be sounded with all possible power, and olives or caviare—or for limburger cheese. We
with a marked pause on the last tone. The fol- have supposed it to be entirely an artificial taste,
lowing trumpet sounds should be voiced softly, as which might indeed be acquired and even enjoyed,
if they came from a distance. The song of but which had nothing to do with the mind of most
Leonore must be played with great care, subduing people and had no special necessity or significance
the guitar-like accompaniment and emphasizing the for them. It is hardly worth while at present to
melody. The great closing coda mounts up higher ask how far, if at all, the old Puritan spirit still
and higher till brought to an end with all the force dominates us in this respect. But it is worth while
and fury thaj; can be suggested.
to note the fact that these ideas do exist and do
Such is Beethoven's Leonore "Overture No. 3." have very considerable influence. The American
With its story in mind, something can be done people have regarded music as merely a diversion,
with it in piano arrangement. Otherwise it is not at all as a means of expression. And in con-
sequence they have had a sort of contemptuous
meaningless.
It should be remembered that Beethoven here fear of any music that attempts to express ideas.
is telling a distinct and definite story in tones, just It has seemed to them that because they have not
as distinctly and definitely as he tells the story in penetrated its meaning therefore it necessarily must
the opera. A wonderful work of art is this, and be absurd or shocking. And they have acted in
it has properly been called one of the greatest accordance with their ideas.
Now the fact of the matter is that this "fear" of
pieces of dramatic music ever written. Who can
hear the appealing, wailing, anguished second music arises primarily from an utter failure to
theme without emotion? Or who can fail to be understand its meaning or significance in life. So
impressed with the wealth of joy, pride, majesty long as people think of music merely as a form of
and power wherewith the magnificent overture ear-tickling, so long will they regard anything in
sweeps to its end? Whoever is not so impressed the art which pretends to greater possibilities with
a sort of bewilderment which is partly contempt
had better leave Beethoven severely alone.
A HEART TO HEART TALK