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Musical Courier 1893-09-27: Vol 27 Iss 707, 1893
71 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026. Printed page 13. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE MUSICAL COURIER.
3story. The "Curse-motive," with its incessant accompaniment of raging waves, the melody associated with "Senta's" desire to remove that curse, and the breezy "Chorus of Sailors" are rich materials admirably contrasted and put together. Although the subject demands very vigorous treatment, the contrasts are less violent and crude than in the "Rienzi" overture. In this piece we have the earliest indication of Wagner's plan of dividing the orchestra into separate groups, a scheme not unknown, however, to the three composers previously mentioned.
5The quintet of bows is now not called upon to bear the chief responsibility. The wood wind is allowed to give out the entire second subject without its aid, and we shall see how Wagner carried this further by treating the brass in a similar manner later on. For thirty-two bars the strings are silent. To the corno-inglise is entrusted the melody, which is supported by two bassoons and two horns. Oboes, clarinets, and flutes repeat the phrase; then the trombones enter piano and complete the section.
7For the still more completely independent treatment of each separate family I must refer to the last of the great operatic overtures, viz., "Tannhäuser." In it the contour of the classical overture is still apparent, but every section is extended and amplified. The coloring of a subject by the gradual introduction of instruments of kindred tints, such as low clarinets, bassoons, horns, violas and violoncellos, even violins on the lower strings; the subdivided violins into eight parts; the employment of nearly the entire orchestra as an accompaniment, leaving the brass to sing the melody alone, are among the many devices known to Weber, but stretched to the utmost here.
9Wagner must have realized that the overture, as an art form, had reached its culminating point, for henceforth he directed his attention to the prelude. What Cherubini and Beethoven did for the overture, Wagner did for the prelude. It was not his own invention. There are many examples extant, even before Meyerbeer and Verdi, in the shape of short instrumental introductions, referring more to the opening scene than to the character of the entire work which they preface. But Wagner's preludes have a head and a tail as well as a logically developed body, and are models—if I may apply that term to a piece of music which is entirely arbitrary in its form.
11A prelude may be short or long, in one or more connected movements; generally speaking, however, it takes the shape of one movement, in which a striking subject is worked out to the fullest extent, but without any recognized key plan or fixity of general structure. It may also be an overture in miniature, with recurring subjects in more or less distinctly related keys. It is customary to deplore the substitution of the prelude for the overture, but I can hardly share that opinion. So long as the preparatory piece of music is in keeping with the characteristics of its subject it fulfils its mission, and after all the form adopted is of little consequence.
13There are operas which have no introduction at all; when the curtain is drawn up abruptly. This is not so satisfactory, but a mere medley of tunes is still less so, because even more unmeaning.
15The first of the great season of preludes depicts the advent and departure of "Lohengrin," by the simple and convenient means of a skillfully worked up crescendo and decrescendo; the music being gradually unfolded in so remarkably flowing a manner that, although there is but one full close during the seventy-five bars of which it consists, a perfect feeling of satisfaction is the result. I have already pointed out that Wagner liked to vary his method of scoring, or at least fit each work with some specialty of orchestral treatment in accordance with the spirit of his poem. Apart from the gradual stealing in and out again, first of the wood wind, then of the softer brass, such as horns, then the trombones—before the brighter toned trumpets make their appearance in the forte in the middle—the prelude is remarkable for a unique treatment of the bowed instrument. Not only are the first and second violins divided into eight parts, but an additional solo quartet of violins is made to soar above them by means of harmonics, which are combined at the close, in an unusual manner, with three trumpets, three trombones and a tuba. The whole piece concludes with a long sigh for the said solo quartet.
17The independence of the wood and brass is now complete, and the families have certainly grown large enough to take care of themselves. Thus the oboes with their natural bass, the corno-inglise, make one trio. The clarinets and bass clarinet another. Flutes and bassoons now are used in groups of three. In fact, we seem gradually to be going back to the primitive orchestra.
19This same orchestra served Wagner in his next work, "Tristan." But the score presents a distinctly different appearance. Probably the most intricate and difficult of all his works, it has on that account a peculiar fascination for his admirers.
21The rhythmical novelty of the exceedingly difficult passage for the strings is very striking, and these are none the easier because the figures are not always of that kind which we are accustomed to connect with the instruments chosen to play them. Arpeggio chords not spread over the four strings, but in close harmony, more suited to the harp or piano, and often in flat keys, which preclude the use of open strings, are freely given to the violas and violins. It is not with the music of the opera that I have to deal; nothing can be less profitable than to discuss the relative merit, or to seek to ascertain the position to which so extraordinary and singular a work may lay claim. But it is quite within the scope of the present subject to venture an opinion on the scheme of orchestration in contradistinction to other works by the same composer.
23I may say, therefore, that in my opinion the instruments, especially the wood wind, being employed so incessantly and in such masses, do not preserve their individuality, nor stand out so well in contrast to each other; that a general sense of overcrowdedness and surfeit prevails in consequence.
25It is always evident that for the time being the master was governed—and rightly too—by the subjects of his operas, and here the passion, continually at white heat from the rise to the fall of the curtain, no doubt led him to ignore that practicability, especially as regards the strings, for which he is justly famous among orchestrators. The score of the "Meistersinger," although more polyphonic, is infinitely clearer, more direct and practical than this one. The main subject of the characteristic prelude to "Tristan" is the motive connected with the magic potion; indeed restless passion expressed by ever moving semitones is the dominant idea of the piece. To the same orchestra are added four harps.
27Before touching upon his last period of orchestration, I would point to the "Meistersinger" prelude as one of the finest specimens of massive and lucid modern orchestration, also of the most shapely example of the prelude.
29I cannot cite another piece in which so many subjects are "focussed" together so successfully. The general scheme is arbitrary enough, for it is more like a fantasia on leit motives than anything else, but the clearness of the grand design is obvious. Again, the subject of the opera is the dictator of the style. The harmonies are diatonic and wholesome, if I may use the term; the key (C major) is rigidly adhered to for something like ninety bars. Then we have a charming modulation to E major, and passing through a series of surprising thought by no means violent modulations, we get to E flat. Working back in a wonderful way to the original key, we find ourselves listening to three combined subjects. Pedantry is here "hoist with its own petard," and the possibility of producing a piece of music which shall satisfy the ear accustomed to demand adherence to certain formulas, however elastic, and leaving no sense of disorder upon the mind, is convincingly proved. The orchestra is divided in some places into three distinct bands.
31In the "Ring des Nibelungen" Wagner evidently deemed such an orchestra as we have lately dealt with inadequate faithfully to portray the varied picturesque situations and descriptive effects which abound in these four music dramas. He thought it necessary to subdivide the brass instruments in a more marked manner, and for this purpose enriched his palette by the addition of those colors obtainable from a collection of tubas. Till then one only of these instruments had been in active employment. Their soft rich tones have little in common with the trombones. So he adds five, viz.: two tenors, two bass and one contra-bass tuba, and separates them entirely from the quartet of trombones which he in addition employs. That solemn and weird effects are obtainable by this new group is obvious enough.
33Occasionally too the quartet of horns is doubled, as in the "Rheingold" introduction, the "Walküren-Ritt," when eight horns are added to a considerably augmented wood wind band. Again the number of harps is augmented to six, three to each part, forming a fifth division complete in itself.
35Any combination in fact, answering this purpose is adopted, regardless of all other considerations. How far this system is a practical one is another question altogether, since there are no limits to such musical scene painting, and not every composer may venture on such imperative demands, even were his conceptions sufficiently lofty. A small band of bass clarinets, or any such fanciful or novel combinations, must produce correspondingly novel effects, but the composer who would employ them must needs have exceptionally novel opportunities and surroundings.
37The growth of the orchestra, from the seed to the tree, has been truly a slow one, for its development extends over three centuries, and I think—I had almost said I fear—that it has not done growing yet. Speculation is vain. Inventive skill and scientific discovery may from time to time add other members to the already large family of musical instruments, increasing their compass, their sonority and their color; and possibly the composer of the future may feel grateful that he had not to score for the Wagnerian orchestra, with its weak and limited resources and inadequate means. But let us not envy him, nor his audience!
39It is just possible that, as the means for creating new effects are made easy, the taste for pure music may decline and perhaps vanish altogether. Musical history tells us of periods in which the work of great reformers was forgotten, when it seemed as if Schiller's words were true: "The beautiful must perish and the perfect depart."
41Whether we are passing through an unlovely period now, I may not stop to discuss. Certain it is that we are living at a time when the mere craft of creating dazzling and stunning effects is rated much higher and appreciated much more than the possession of solid learning and sterling musical gifts.
43It has been observed that no branch of musical art has shown such an advance during the last half century as the art of orchestration.
45Instrumentation is, however, only the means toward an end; not the end itself.
47A painter knows his so-called "bones and muscles," can draw correctly as well as lay on brilliant color. Now, instrumentation is a gift. True, it may be taught, up to a certain point. Musicians have their elementary rules clearly drawn up. Practice and experience may do much, but unless nature has gifted the composer with that sixth sense, "the inward ear," and the power of realizing the different quality of tone of each instrument—in fact of hearing the work in his own study—he will certainly not be able to show his music to full advantage. On the other hand, the master of instrumentation has an immense advantage. "It sounds well," is a common expression among musicians, and I am afraid it often means that clever scoring has stood godfather to weak invention. The credit is always great when adequate effect is produced by modest means, and the men of mark now living would confer a benefit on their generation were they to write more frequently for smaller orchestras. The chances of public performances would be increased into the bargain. Further, a return to less exacting methods might exercise an extremely wholesome influence upon the next generation. It is no new thing to hear a young composer fresh from school, or perhaps still in it, say, "I can't write for a small orchestra." This is really a confession that his ear is spoiled by the intense sonority of the modern orchestra, and it is tantamount to saying, "My music requires all the help of its magnificent robes to make it presentable." The great explorers have discovered realms undreamed of by their great predecessors, and their achievements must ever remain monumental. But the student of music, while he is quite justified in taking Voltaire's remark: "Let us be of our century," as his canto fermo, will do better still if he adopts, as a counterpoint, the old proverb, "Quod licet Jovi, non licet Bovi."—A. C. Mackenzie, in "The New Quarterly Musical Review," London.
49Dumb Piano.—Sir Sterndale Bennett, expressed his unqualified disapproval of dumb pianos. Sgambati, however, thought differently, and often said that a dumb piano ought to be used by everyone who aimed at playing with perfect finish—his opinion being that no one who could avoid it has any right to inflict on his neighbors the annoyance of listening to that amount of passage practicing from which no talent can dispense any individual player. Henselt always used a dumb piano for conquering technical difficulties; he said that doing so spared the nerves, and he advised his pupils to do the same. In St. Petersburg all the lady professors of Henselt's school practiced on instruments which had two sets of sordines—one which so deadened and softened the sound as to render it inaudible outside the room, while the second made the instrument a complete dummy.—Bettina Walker.
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