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Musical Courier 1891-12-16: Vol 23 Iss 617, 1891
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1Counterpoint with a Soul.
3STOPPING for a second to speak to a friend in the foyer of the Metropolitan Opera House one night last winter, a sudden gust of cold surprise swept across my mind. I overheard the voice of a man whom I knew to be a lover of all music from Bach to Tchaikowsky, a musical antiquarian of no small learning and an executive musician of home satisfying accomplishment, declaring that Richard Wagner was unskilled in counterpoint. I stood silent and motionless for an instant, while through the crannies of the closed doors leading into the saffron hued auditorium ebbed the tones of the orchestra sounding the prelude to "Die Meistersinger." And I heard—so did he, unless his ear was choked by prejudice—three themes moving simultaneously and without discord.
5As I passed around the foyer to that holy side door through which the Gotham scribes go to sit at the feet of genius, I thought: "There is counterpoint and counterpoint. Here is a man who knows Bach's 'Well Tempered Clavichord' better than I know the Lord's Prayer, but who does not recognize Wagner's counterpoint. That man is, so far as counterpoint is concerned, behind the age. He is lingering on the borders of the seventeenth century, and he says in his heart that there is no counterpoint without a fugue."
7A man who fails to perceive the glory of contemporaneous counterpoint misconceives the whole spirit of musical history. As God made man out of the dust of the earth, so have the masters of the nineteenth century made music out of the dust of the Middle Ages. Away back in the twelfth century we see as through a glass darkly a horde of students thronging the streets of Paris and swallowing, in a mad and dyspepsia-defying manner, all kinds of learning in scraps and lumps, without order, without system. The University of Paris and the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the latter glorified throughout Christendom as a well of architectural beauty undefiled, the former celebrated, even by Pope Alexander I., as "a tree of life in an earthly paradise," were their objective points. Out of the throng of scholars, quacks, students and roysterers there breaks upon our vision one earnest, industrious musician, Jean Perotin, striving to find some laws by which tones could be made to proceed in an orderly manner.
9Evidently a man of method—an orderly, peaceable, mechanical, plodding sort of person was this Jean Perotin. Perhaps he did not work out the musical problem of imitation, but he is the first who left a record of it in his writings. If you would find it, seek for it in his "Posiudjutorium" between the eighty-first and ninety-second bars. So much for Perotin. What happened next? His successors took up this business of imitation, and in a few short years developed double counterpoint. Well, 500 years rolled away and counterpoint had passed the period of mechanical development and reached the loftiest heights of ecclesiastical expression. Orlando Lasso and Palestrina built great Gothic temples of music that will stand longer than St. Peter's or Westminster Abbey. But still counterpoint meant canon and fugue. Then came the birth of opera at the Palazzo Bardi, and music awoke to know that her mission on earth was not only to sing man's love of God, but his love of women, his fear, his hate, his hope, his despair—in short the awful content of his limitless soul.
11Did counterpoint die? Not at all. But there grew up in our glorious art a new kind of counterpoint, undreamed of by Nicolas Gombert and Claude Goudimel, a free, untrammeled counterpoint, which breaks upon us in unexpected places to-day in all kinds of works, from the humblest to the greatest. Listen to that solemn melody that begins the allegretto of Beethoven's seventh symphony. Presently as it continues to throb, with its pulsating rhythm, there enters the broad pathetic song of the 'celli—another melody set over and against the first. It is not a canon, it is not a fugue; but it is counterpoint—even Dr. Johannes de Meovirs, of the Paris University, would have passed it as contrapunctus a penna. It is modern counterpoint; counterpoint not for itself but for an exterior purpose, the one great, glorious purpose of modern music, to express the soul of man. Up and down the scale of musical excellence you find it. Turn to Delibes' "Naila" waltz. There never was a truer piece of counterpoint written in the days of Josquin des Pres than that 'cello melody that glides in beneath the principal theme of the first strings, like a new dancer come upon the ballroom floor.
13And as for Richard Wagner, how could his system of Leit motiven exist for ten consecutive measures had it not been for the labors of those cloistered scholiasts of the Middle Ages, building note against note like ants heaping up sand?
15The very body of Wagner's music is counterpoint, free counterpoint, not canon and fugue. And it is counterpoint with a soul in it, for every time two or more themes sound simultaneously the orchestra becomes so eloquent with rich meanings that its utterance throbs upon the air like the magnetism of love. It was a happy time for the tone art when in the autumn days of the fifteenth century the folk song wooed and won the fugue.—W. J. Henderson in Boston "Musical Herald."
17William R. Chapman.
19LITTLE need of telling the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER that William R. Chapman's energetic features are reproduced in this issue. This popular conductor, who is the epitome of all that is enterprising mentally and musical active, is known to everyone. His labors every season instead of growing lighter are becoming heavier. Just think of the new works he will produce this season in his various societies: Dvorak's "Patriotic Hymn," Bendel's "Water Sprite," a new setting by Dudley Buck of Tennyson's "Blow Bugle, Blow," S. G. Pratt's "The Incas' Farewell," H. H. Huss' "Ave Maria," and a "Sanctus," by W. R. Chapman.
21Perhaps the best idea of Mr. Chapman's irrepressible activity is given in the following narrative from the pen of a newspaper man, who caught the electrical conductor on a train, the only place where he has to keep quiet. It reads as follows:
23I met Mr. William R. Chapman, the popular choral conductor, the other day, and as we were flying along in the Chicago limited toward Poughkeepsie, he gave me a little idea of the extent and prospects of his winter's work.
25He was en route to his new club in Poughkeepsie, a second Rubinstein, which includes some of the Vassar girls, but is principally composed of the musical society ladies of this pretty city. Miss Julia Alexander, an excellent vocal teacher there, was instrumental in organizing the club and getting Mr. Chapman to come there; and Mrs. Clement Gaines, Mrs. W. R. Innis, the Misses Myers, Miss Harriette Wheeler and others have been untiring in their efforts and zeal. The result is that a most satisfactory organization has been effected, and the promise for most enjoyable concerts this season is given with every surety of success. From Poughkeepsie Mr. Chapman continues up the valley to Kingston, where he conducts the Kingston Philharmonic Society, a most successful and prosperous musical organization. Mr. Chapman was the conductor last year, and they engaged the services of the best solo artists of our metropolis, also doing most effective choral work. The prospects this year are for growth and prosperity with still greater achievements.
27Mr. Chapman is a man who inspires one with a peculiar magnetism and enthusiasm, and his own energy and ability are so untiring that he is certain of success. One of his pet societies is the Melopoiia, of Plainfield. This was organized for and by him and comprises the best social element of Plainfield. The concerts are given in the beautiful new Casino, and last season each concert night was a gala occasion. The musical ability of the club is excellent, and their soloists were always artists of merit.
29Of his clubs in the city it was not necessary for Mr. Chapman to say much. They are so well known and form so important a part of the season's musical attractions that they need no further praise or comment. Mr. Chapman has, however, made an important change this year, and will give all his concerts in the new Music Hall. This gives more seating capacity and enables the increase of the subscription list. Chickering Hall was not large enough for the demand. Application for membership can be sent to Mr. Chapman or the secretaries.
31Perhaps Mr. Chapman's favorite club may be considered to be the Rubinstein, as it is composed of fair women. We can hardly be surprised. The work of this club has been eminently successful and the concerts most delightful. Like a reception as well as a concert—for the intermission means a good time on the stage with the singers, and as the concerts are always by subscription they are most select socially. The Metropolitan Musical Society have given their concerts heretofore in the Opera House, but they now follow the others to the new hall, and will give their first concert there in January with a miscellaneous program of glees and part songs. This society numbers 200 mixed voices, and is augmented for special occasions by the out of town societies under Mr. Chapman's direction.
33The Musurgia, composed of male voices, was Mr. Chapman's first choral success in New York, and takes a high rank with similar organizations. Comparisons are odious, but the work done by the Musurgia under this able conductor has been progressive and excellent. Their concerts have always been musical treats, and the members are full of interest and energy. They opened the season with a concert, November 24, at the new Music Hall.
35Mr. Chapman also conducts the New Rochelle Choral Club, a prosperous little society in that delightful suburb, and with his church choir quartet and chorus at the Madison Avenue Reformed Church he manages to keep busy every hour of every day. I was surprised at the amount of railway travel which he takes each week to accomplish his work. He is a marvel to me of energy and enterprise. No wonder he succeeds so well when his whole time, attention and strength are so completely given to his life work.
37Mr. Chapman has a grand opportunity in combining his out of town societies with the M. M. S. for festival occasions, and thus controls the largest chorus in the country. He brought all together for the performance of "The Captivity" last spring. This strength of forces is a great power for him and enables him to produce any work he desires, as the necessary voice material is all at his command.
39Mr. Chapman has already engaged the following artists for his concerts and is negotiating for others: Mrs. Ritter-Goetze, Miss Mary Howe, Miss Olive Fremstad, Mr. Galassi, Mr. W. H. Rieger, Mr. C. J. Bushnell, Mr. F. C. Hilliard, Mr. Braodsky, Mr. Richard Arnold, Mr. Ferdinand Sinzig, Mr. H. Q. Tucker, Mr. and Mrs. De Pachmann.
41Here is a list of some of the well-known names connected with the Metropolitan Musical Society, the biggest enterprise engineered by Mr. Chapman:
43President—Mr. John E. Parsons, 30 East Thirty-sixth street.
45Vice-Presidents—Mr. Robert Hoe, 11 East Thirty-sixth street; Mr. J. Seaver Page, 101 Fulton street.
47Treasurer—Mr. F. W. Devoe, 101 Fulton street.
49Secretary—Mr. Frederick M. Froisher, 346 Broadway.
51Musical Director—Mr. William R. Chapman, Fordham, N. Y.
53Executive Committee—Mrs. Arthur Murray Dodge, Mrs. William R. Chapman, Mr. George A. Meyer, Mr. Thomas M. Prentice.
55Board of Patrons—Hon. Edward Cooper, Mr. Andrew Carnegie, Mr. William E. Dodge, Mr. E. Francis Hyde, Mr. D. Willis James, Mr. Morris K. Jesup, Mr. Thomas L. James, Dr. Thomas M. Markoe, Mr. Whitelaw Reid, Mr. Anson Phelps Stokes, Mr. George F. Stone, Mr. John S. Kennedy, Mr. George W. Smith, Mr. J. H. Hankinson, Mrs. W. Lanman Bull, Mrs. F. C. Bowman, Mrs. Julius Catlin, Mrs. Chauncey M. Depew, Mrs. Amos Cutting, Mrs. F. R. Couder, Mrs. George C. Clark, Mr. Joseph H. Choate, Mrs. Grover Cleveland, Mrs. Ben Ali Haggin, Mrs. R. Duncan Harris, Mrs. Oliver Harriman, Mrs. Richard Irvin, Jr., Mrs. O. B. Jennings, Mrs. Alex. T. Leith, Mrs. Chas. C. Pomeroy, Mrs. Lawrence Turnure, Mrs. Edward Winslow, Mrs. William C. Whitney, Mrs. Frederick Hunting Howell.
57Box Holders—Mr. J. D. Archbold, Mr. M. C. D. Borden, Mr. W. H. Beadleston, Mr. G. K. Clarke, Jr., Mr. Swits Condé, Mr. Edmund J. Coffin, Jr., Mr. C. F. Chickering, Mrs. Wm. T. Cochran, Mr. W. R. Chapman, Mrs. M. E. Cox, Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge, Mrs. G. W. Dibble, Mrs. Wm. Gilbert Davies, Mr. Norman W. Dodge, Mr. C. H. Ditson, Mr. E. Dodge, Mr. Fredk. W. Devoe, Mr. George J. Gould, Mrs. Walter S. Gurnee, Mrs. Jacob Hess, Mr. Robert Hoe, Mrs. Theodore Havemeyer, Mr. E. Francis Hyde, Mrs. Reuben Hoyt, Mrs. Frederick Hunting Howell, Mrs. B. W. Horton, Mr. David B. Ivison, Mr. D. Willis James, Mrs. Morris K. Jesup, Mrs. O. B. Jennings, Mrs. A. D. Juilliard, Mrs. John S. Kennedy, Mr. James Lounsbury, Mr. Henry Meyer, Mr. George A. Meyer, Dr. Thomas M. Markoe, Mrs. John P. Munn, Mr. John E. Parsons, Mr. J. Seaver Page, Mr. H. A. Rogers, Mr. Charles Runyon, Mr. George R. Sheldon, Mr. Anson Phelps Stokes, Mr. Wm. P. St. John, Mr. G. Schirmer, Mr. Edward Schell, Mrs. J. R. Skidmore, Mrs. Elliott F. Shepard, Miss Stokes, Mr. Max Vogrich, Miss M. D. Van Winkle, Mrs. Helen Van Emburgh, Mr. Wm. A. Wheelock, Mr. A. W. Woodhull, Mr. Washington Wilson.
59Special stress must be laid on the names of Mrs. Arthur Murray Dodge and Mr. F. W. Devoe, both workers of the same inexhaustible calibre as Mr. Chapman.
61If Mr. Chapman's physique stands the strain of his unremitting labors, he will eventually be leading concerts in Tacoma.
63Smareglia's "Schut."—The young composer of "The Vassal of Szigeth," Antonio Smareglia, has completed the score of a lyrical drama, "Corcil Schut," the libretto by Luigi Illica, which has been accepted for performance at the Imperial Opera of Vienna.
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