Scan 10
Musical Courier 1893-09-27: Vol 27 Iss 707, 1893
57 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026. Printed page 11. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSIC SENT FOR CRITICISM.
3Chappell & Co., London.
4TITO MATTEI, . . . . . Through Sunny Spain.
5Singers who wish to escape from the monotony of the ballad (the English drawing room ballad) should look at this song. It is marked ballad on the title page and immediately above the first page of the music; yet it is not a ballad in the generally accepted sense; for the opening prelude is an allegro con brio. The voice begins with a bolero ("tempo di bolero"); then occurs an allegretto in triple time, followed by an allegretto in common time ("tral lal la"), which ends the first verse.
6It is a very bright and spirited song which passes from major to minor, from common to triple time, and from one speed to another with freedom, and therefore shows no trace of the sickly melancholy or lackadaisical suspirations of persons called exquisites, who, dying with ennui, like to have their lachrymations and fancied sorrows set to soft music. In the words of Tennyson it is not "such as moans about the retrospects."
7At a social gathering when all is bright and gay—when mirth loving souls meet to mutually refresh one another in thought and spirit—such ballads are an infliction. This bolero will be found much more in keeping with the occasion, and correspondingly welcome.
9J. & J. Hopkinson, London.
10ARTHUR SOMERVELL, . . . Studies in Piano Technic.
11"Studies in Piano Technic, for the Use of Students" is the somewhat tautological title of this little book, which at first leads one to suppose it to be intended for real students who are scholars. But the preface says: "It is intended rather for the use of students who cannot devote more than an hour or two a day to practicing," and a glance at the contents shows it to be a first book of thirty-two pages.
12Although the work is published in England, foreign fingering is used; therefore it will be available here, and may be had of Novello, Ewer & Co., who import it.
13Those persons who wish to find a series of studies which not only show how to finger scales and execute five finger exercises with speed, but also give some instruction respecting the proper rendering of two or more melodies simultaneously, are recommended to procure this work.
14Such advice is rarely found in first books, although without it a pupil cannot learn how to accompany a simple glee or even hymn tune intelligently. For this reason alone it may prove useful to teachers generally.
16Wm. A. Pond & Co., New York.
17C. C. MÜLLER, . . . . Exercises in Harmony.
18The celebrated composer and theorist Mr. C. C. Müller, who has for many years studied the art of teaching, and applied his system of harmony continuously at the New York College of Music and kindred institutions in Brooklyn, here puts forth a new edition of his tables "for the writing of elementary exercises in the study of harmony" and also a "supplement to Series 1 and 2" of these exercises. Great experience in teaching has led to certain modifications being made in the verbal directions and the choice of musical phrases as examples, in order to smooth the path for learners so completely that at no stage of the study will apparently insurmountable difficulties be encountered that might discourage them.
19This work, which in its completeness begins with the determination of intervals and the construction of good four part harmony, bass and figures being given, ends with the providing of three good singable parts to proceed with a given melody. The whole is arranged in conformity with S. Sechter's "Fundamental Harmonies."
20All the different books leave vacant staves in which the various exercises may be written, so that the pupil may be spared the necessity of providing also a manuscript book. The various exercises show that great pains has been taken to grade them carefully as regards degree of difficulty.
21By restricting students in the choice of chords and keeping altogether in abeyance the idea of vast possibilities in the harmonization of melodies Mr. Müller has made it possible for a student to write natural and unaffected harmonies to a given melody satisfactorily in the first place; then as skill and experience increase, unfolding more elaborate chords and styles of treatment, to make him expert as a writer and also competent to criticise the still more elaborate harmonizations of the greatest composers.
22Now that our music schools are becoming aware of the fact that a little theoretical knowledge of the chords assists piano pupils greatly in the acquisition of complex figures based upon the arpeggio, the study of harmony is becoming universal. This work will please instructors, and especially those who do not wish to give a text book so large and exhaustive as to appall a beginner.
24The John Church Company, Cincinnati, Chicago and New York.
25W. L. BLUMENSCHINE, . . . A Song of the Sea.
26A thoroughly manly subject, treated with masculinity, and suitable for a chorus of men's voices, is not so frequently found that this work should be left unmentioned. The four parts of an ordinary quartet are here occasionally subdivided, and there are incidental solos for tenors and bass singers. There is no accompaniment, the solos being supported by softer and slower passages sung by the associated voices. It is therefore available on all occasions when a party of music lovers are assembled at yachting parties, picnics, &c.; but it specially deserves the attention of large choral bodies for concert purposes, and is more worthy a place in programs than the large majority of pieces chosen, which too often depend upon delicacy of rendering for their due effect, and therefore can rarely be made entirely suitable for an immense chorus. This piece is not sentimental, but strong and as breezy as a Dibdin song. It has the true Saxon ring, and the words are not only mostly monosyllabic, but well suited for the production of good musical qualities, especially upon the highest notes. For these and many other considerations the piece is unreservedly recommended. It is so good as to rank as a companion to the well-known English glee, "When Winds Breath Soft" (Webbe). This is said to indicate its peculiar character, as well as in praise of its technical workmanship. The words are from "Good Housekeeping" and the music is dedicated to Mr. Emil Liebling, of Chicago.
28Breitkopf & Hartel, Leipzig.
29LUDWIG BONVIN . . . . Drei Tonbilder.
30SECOND NOTICE.
31The composer of this work has introduced a new style of thematic development. In the first notice doubt was expressed regarding his intentions in connection with the signification of these movements; but there is now no longer any doubt whatever respecting these with reference to the technical treatment of the themes, for he himself has published an explanation of the workmanship. It has been shown that the third movement is in the style and form of a scherzo.
32The clues to the comprehension of the other two movements now to be given illustrate the composer's highly original ideas of development.
33The violins lead off with a sort of fugal theme of fourteen notes. The first four of these are as the first four notes of a descending major scale.
34Now, whenever four diatonic notes descend similarly this must be accepted as a development of the theme. The violins proceed for nine long (andante) bars, and then quite casually (as it were) play four descending notes, which although they are at another speed and have their tones and semitones rearranged, and do not begin a phrase, and are given a totally different expression having other bowing marks, and then proceed with wholly irrelevant matter representing another order of ideas, yet the mere use of this descending tetrachord is claimed to be an entry of the subject.
35In the following bar, where as many as six notes in descending order occur, some of which are chromatic and also have different marks of expression and do not begin the phrase, nor proceed as if the claims of the theme to be noticed deserved any further consideration, yet this must also be regarded as a respectful and satisfactory treatment of the subject; in fact its entry.
36The second movement gives some interesting illustrations of what one may expect when this extraordinary notion of theme elaboration is freely carried out. It will not be necessary to study counterpoint; for unity may be attained in the following novel way: Write a theme. Let some sustained note be varied by alternating it with the semitone below. Now if you have a holding note anywhere in the score, cause it to be deflected and restored in this way, and there at once is a reference to your theme.
37The composer proceeds on this principle in the second bar of the opening subject. Instead of holding the note E flat he causes it to sink to D natural, and then to return to the E flat. There is no change necessitated in the harmony, and hence there is no difficulty whatever in performing this operation whenever it so pleases a writer. But no significance is thereby gained.
38For if the rhythmic reiteration of a note in the style of a trumpet be difficult upon a large church organ with a pneumatic action (which renders the touch light, but often very sluggish, when a key is struck repeatedly) the organist uses the note below as an auxiliary, so trivial does such a variation appear.
39It affects the character or phrases in different styles so slightly, when intelligently executed, that it is adopted very largely in piano music to give brilliancy of effect and to relieve the hand of a wearisome (tremolo) style of repetition.
40Great composers have given the most respectful attention to their leading subjects from pre-Palestrina times to the present day. It never occurred to each that he was introducing a theme if he chose some insignificant feature from the middle of it. In his works a part seldom takes up the subject unless it be preceded by a rest or other means of making its beginning most marked.
41In a fugue a part would rarely enter without having a subject or countersubject.
42In the subsequent free style of Beethoven, wherein the symphony is treated as an ideal stage piece for orchestra alone, as a veritable drama without words, but highly significant voices or characters, literally "persons," we find the entry of the theme made somewhat similar to the entry of an actor on a stage. (See Wagner's "Beethoven.") A playwright would be a curiosity who should give directions that the actors should glide on as unobtrusively as possible, for fear the audience might perceive and identify them. Yet Ludwig Bonvin makes his subjects enter precisely in this manner in the first movement; and in the second sends in not even a recognizable head or bust, but an arm or mere articulation as an equivalent.
43Our readers will be interested in knowing that this singular style of "working out" a subject is expected to pass for development by the composer of these movements.
44But our chief reason for stating this fact is to point out that it is more like a dismemberment than an evolution; and that any thematic entry that is designed as if to escape observation which does not afford an honest, outspoken utterance representing neither the voice of a supporter, nor a dissident must in this column be regarded as beyond notice.
45In art, as in religion, we are rapidly losing ideals, and not replacing them by others; therefore the rising school of composers are most strongly advised to aim at the highest standard.
46Too many aspiring writers are apt to accept no restraints, to ignore necessary preparation, drill and discipline, and affect to regard great contrapuntal writing as pedantry; yet when they are shown to be consequently unable to provide satisfactory and consistent occupation for a full orchestra they complain; and, more strangely still, there are those who, although they condescend to submit works for criticism, do not submit.
48Novello, Ewer & Co., London and New York.
49JOHN THOMAS, . . . . O Delyn fy Ngwlad.
50The World's Fair at Chicago has been the means of drawing forth musical contributions other than those which were written for performance at the opening exercises. Of these none is interesting from so many points of view as this Welsh patriotic song and chorus "O Delyn fy Ngwlad" (O Harp of My Land!) words by W. Apmadoc, music by John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia). It was composed expressly for the International Eisteddfod (humorously pronounced "oyster feed"), which was celebrated at the World's Fair in the week ending September 9.
51On Friday (8th) there was a competition for a great choral prize of $5,000, and a second prize of $1,000. There was also a competition for a $300 prize for the best ladies' chorus, a $1,000 prize, with a second prize of $500 for the best male chorus. Nearly all these were won by the Welsh choruses. When the news was telegraphed to Scranton, Pa., that the first prize of $5,000 had been won by the Choral Union of that city there was great excitement and enthusiasm.
52The reputation of the Welsh bards and their triple stringed harps is forced upon the attention of all students of history, and occasionally makes itself felt in the modern art world. This positive yet poetic people keep alive their national pride by holding regular festivals in Wales, at which original poems in their own language are recited or sung, accompanied by the harp. These contests for prizes have been kept up from time immemorial, and to so good a purpose as to be worthy the close attention of political economists. Perhaps there is no occupation that dwarfs and cripples the body and stunts the mind so greatly as coal mining. The condition of the Welsh miner in Pennsylvania is most pitiable. The wonder is that, with his grinding poverty as well as his soul deadening avocation, he does not become a ruffian of the worst type.
53But, with the formation of choral societies in which once or twice a week he may go and take with him his wife and family and assist in the vocal rendering of a sublime chorus by Bach or Beethoven, Haydn or Händel, Mozart or Mendelssohn, his imagination cannot become utterly dead.
54The whole family are thereby refreshed and elevated, for such masters do not write sublime choruses to trivial words, but to texts of a high moral or religious significance. On returning home, if four parts can be made up by the family party, favorite passages may be repeated; and thus the evenings pass without any objectionable features that reasonable people would notice, and the demon of drink is exorcised more completely than by laws and regulations.
55The way in which an ordinary chorus of 500 in one town will compete with similar choruses in neighboring towns before professional judges of repute, and then demand of the judges the reasons for their decisions, is something worth noting.
56Such a movement as "Let us break their bonds asunder" (Händel's "Messiah") will be delivered in a way that
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