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Musical Courier 1894-11-21: Vol 29 Iss 767, 1894
54 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026. Printed page 26. See the scan on archive.org.
1of law and order are learned from the pages of musical history, the intellectual training which results from the study of the art itself is no less valuable. The study of harmony, which we may consider as the first step toward musical understanding, involves severe intellectual effort, and is thus strictly educational. We find in harmony no absolute formulae, as in the pure sciences, but we discover instead broad principles, founded indeed upon scientific truth, but ever regulated by the experience and lessons learned from the aesthetic aspects of the art of music. The development of harmony was very slow, for it involved the thrusting to one side of the most mediaeval theories and forms, because they were not in accord with the expression of the individual in music, which was the secret of the musical renaissance. In weighing the arguments for and against the use of certain combinations the student must use judgment, critically analyze, apply oftentimes principles of aesthetics, and thus is made good the claim that even in the study of harmony sustained mental effort is absolutely essential to success.
3But the study of harmony is but an introduction to that of counterpoint. In this study the qualities necessary for the understanding of harmony are needful, but in an added degree. From counterpoint to imitation, canon and fugue—from these studies (during the progress of which the student has been interested in the laws of musical form) to instrumental—is a gradual process, and when the student, by an acquaintance with these subjects (which form the schooling for practical composition), feels himself prepared to test his powers in the field of creative work, we have yet to discover whether, having learned how to express himself, he has anything to say. If he is a genius, or what is more likely, if he has talent, he has not waited for the completion of his course of training, but has already tried to express the sentiments which in this case oblige him to write. The value of what he will say depends not only upon the artistic nature with which God has blessed him, but to a greater extent than is generally supposed, upon his training in other directions. Can the possessor of musical talent be any the less poetic by an intimate knowledge of the gems of poetry which sparkle in every language? Can the composer who would hope to reach and stir the hearts of men not learn from a critical and appreciative acquaintance with the dramas of Shakespeare, or the epics of Homer, Dante and Milton? There can be but one answer to these questions.
5If the musical work pursued in the scientific and philosophical spirit is of educational value, how much greater are the obligations of music to science, philosophy, history and literature?
7This statement of the course of study which must be pursued in order to obtain proficiency in creative art applies with even greater force to the artist who reproduces the classical work, for he must sink himself so completely in the work he is to interpret, that under his fingers or through his voice the composer speaks again. On the side of the creative artist special talent must be taken into account, while the interpreter must achieve the same result by a training which involves mastery of many subjects. In the majority of cases a truly great interpretative artist is a person of higher intellectual attainment than the composer, although such a statement must not be considered ultimate.
9Aristotle, in his "Politics," discusses the ethical value of the various modes, and could we sink ourselves into the Greek habits of thought, and thus fully appreciate their ideas, we would be in a position to realize more fully than we now do all that is implied by his utterances. His statements, however, are of value to us; for even as he saw in the "manly music" a distinct aid to training in the duties of citizenship, and as Plato in his "Republic" would only banish such forms of music as tended to effeminacy and undue excitement, so may we discover in the nobler forms of our own art ethical value.
11The power of music has been acknowledged from all time, and the ideal musical training would take into account the phases of music which have, however small, an influence upon ethical relations. Worship is defined as an instinctive act of adoration. The necessity of public worship exists in the fact that adoration (that is, individual adoration simply) "would easily degenerate into dreams and ecstasy, or be dissipated in the rush of affairs and the necessities of every day." Public worship "establishes forms which maintain in its purity the act of adoration."
13Now if we grant that without morality or religion, or both, there is no possibility of the growth of ethical principles, and maintain that ethical truth rests upon absolute truth it follows that every agency that promotes recognition of truth, is of value in the establishment of all that comes within the domain of ethics. If the ultimate aim of education, ethically considered, is to make men more responsive to the dictates of duty, and thus to make them of more value to society and the state, and music is an aid in the attainment of this end, it deserves a place in education by reason of its ethical value. Now its value in public worship is so generally admitted that it is call the "Handmaid of Religion." Let us place it in a higher relationship and call it the "Helpmate of Religion." What makes the soul more responsive to religious truth than music, when permeated by the true spirit of religious fervor? What more effective sermon was ever preached than Händel's "Hallelujah Chorus?" It has been stated that "Händel's 'Messiah' is a course in systematic theology." If it were this it would have less ethical value; for music is not definite enough for the demand of so exacting a study as that referred to, although it may be admitted that the very vagueness of music might adapt it to the needs of theological controversies. Artistic creeds are revised as often as the creeds of Christendom.
15The great lessons of the "Te Deum," the Gregorian Chant, Palestrina's "Marcellus Masses," Bach's "Passion Music," Händel's "Messiah," Mendelssohn's "Elijah," and Beethoven's Symphonies, are too universal to be confined within the limits of any Creed, Church, or Religion.
17Music in the public schools can contribute to ethical progress. It instructs, disciplines, and by the pursuit of a well considered plan can infuse patriotism into the minds of the nation's youth. Who can tell how many thousand men it would take to represent the power of "Die Wacht am Rhein," "Marseillaise Hymn," "Rule Britannia," or "Glory Hallelujah?" When we say that both in public worship and in the public school music contributes to ethical advancement we imply the possession of a literature.
19Within the limits of this universal language there exists a literature which embodies the sublimest conceptions of some of the world's greatest geniuses. This literature is governed by principles of construction closely allied to those which obtain in all literatures, and by reason of this fact music can perform a mission which is denied the other arts. While the "Sistine Madonna," for instance, may be viewed in its original beauty only in the Dresden gallery, and while its colors have deteriorated in the lapse of years, the Beethoven symphony can be heard, and its lessons received into the soul in a dozen of the world's greatest cities at the same time, and the beauty of orchestral color contained within the score can be given with even greater purity in our own day than in Beethoven's time. Before proceeding to the final division of our subject, a division referring to the practical side entirely, let us refer to an instance which illustrates the power of sacred song upon a community, and by it enforce the points we have presented. When the last division of the Saxon troops returned from Paris, the whole body, 35,000 strong, marched down through the streets of Leipsic, and filling the historic Market Platz, and running over into the adjacent streets, all united in singing, in unison, "Ein Feste Burg ist Unser Gott." The people in the vicinity took up the strain, and for a few moments the whole city vibrated, as it were, in sympathy with the majestic movement of this grand choral. Will anyone dare say that every German heart, that was filled by this imposing outpouring of thankful and devout praise did not at that time beat with a profounder feeling for the Fatherland? Did not this choral exert a wonderful influence upon the citizenship of every inhabitant of that city?
21The fact that the practical work necessary for adequate professional training cannot be done unless in a regularly organized department of music renders the majority of university musical degrees worthless. That such a department would be logical in a university needs no demonstration—but in any university work can and should be done which would raise the standards of professional worth—for the essential nature of music demands that musical scholarship should be synonymous with broad and classical education.
23Insistence upon the requirements for admission to the degrees in a department of literature, science and the arts is the first requisite for the pursuing of musical work with a full measure of profit; and in our judgment a systematic course of study for four years would involve two distinct lines, which for our purpose we would designate as theoretical and literary. They would both begin in a preliminary course. The scheme would be as follows:
251st Year—Preliminary Course.
26Theoretical Courses:
272d Year—Harmony.
283d Year—Counterpoint.
294th Year—Imitation, Canon and Fugue.
30Literary and Critical Courses:
312d Year—History of Music.
323d Year—Musical Analysis, Aesthetics, Musical Criticism.
334th Year—Seminary Work (Analysis of Masterpieces, &c.).
35The student taking the theoretical course would be prepared to do professional work, and might, moreover, find time to attain proficiency as a performer. For such proficiency he should have credit—providing it is of the most artistic type. By taking the literary course the student would be prepared to enter more fully into the perfect enjoyment of the art which would come from the more intimate knowledge of its meanings acquired by the systematic course of study, while the student taking both would have well developed conceptions of all the possibilities and actualities of music, and by the experience which would come from actual practice in professional life would honor music and the university at the same time. This scheme leaves instrumentation, the study of the larger instrumental and vocal forms, and practical composition on the one hand, and the inquiry into the vast field of physiological psychology, &c., on the other, as subjects for graduate work.
37Again, a course might be arranged whenever in the opinion of the wisest judges the time was ripe, which should allow time for practical work in the line of performance, and at the same time, by a judicious course of the languages, history, literature, psychology, aesthetics and physics, make the graduate not simply a player, but an educated, scholarly musician. The art has need of just such men.
39Finally, if we look upon music as a part of the general culture which is one of the ends of study we find our subject, if developed adequately, would require a paper by itself. By all means have college songs, for the Alma Mater is doubly dear to the student when viewed in the spirit of unity which grows so rapidly by the practice of singing her songs. Let us be thankful that with us the singing of college songs is not synonymous with tipping and midnight orgies. Let us be thankful that the "Kneipe" and the "Bierkönig" have no place in college traditions. May we not, then, enjoy these songs, which are generally speaking innocent of any suggestion of impurity or immorality? And if they are occasionally irreverent let us remember that irreverence seems to be the American small vice, and rejoice in the heartiness and vigor with which the good old college songs are sung by enthusiastic students, who soon enough will be brought face to face with the serious problems of life.
41The justification of college songs from a purely musical point of view lies in the fact that they are the spontaneous expression of the conditions of student life, and are thus possessed of the same artistic raison d'être as folk-songs. From an essential difference in these conditions, however, the college songs must occupy a position somewhat lower in the scale. Folk-songs reflect the "Gemütlichkeit" which pervades every phase of the peasant's simple life; they voice the spirit of national pride which glories in the heroism of the past, and are too often full to overflowing with the pathos of a hopeless future. College songs are, generally speaking, filled with a "happy-go-lucky" spirit of joy in the present, with the consciousness of youthful strength, optimistic respecting the future and careless and indifferent as to the past. To be sure, the genuine grief at the severing of pleasant relations incidental to the commencement season is contained in the class day song, and poetical combinations of the three essential elements of moonlight, muslin and sentiment adorn many a page of the college song book and fill, presumably, many a student heart; but in the main the prevailing tone of these songs cannot contribute very materially to the growth of musical appreciation.
43To this end there must be a series of first-class concerts, at which great artists shall appear; for concerts bear the same relation to the musical student that the well filled art gallery does to the painter or sculptor. To form correct musical tastes it is necessary to hear good music, and nothing but good music should be allowed on our concert programs. While cultivated musical taste is a boon to the possessor, false and vitiated taste is at once a curse to the individual and a menace to musical advancement.
45The maintenance of a large and finely trained chorus is a prime necessity, and the value of a fine concert organ as an educator can hardly be overestimated. As constructed at the present day, the "king of instruments," as the organ is sometimes called, can be made to reproduce with extreme nicety all the tone-color of the orchestral score, and at the same time no less successfully reveal the nobility of Bach, the grandeur of Händel, or the graceful dignity of Mendelssohn.
47May we not hope to see in the near future in all our colleges and universities a genuine appreciation of the lessons of the divine art, and thus in the nineteenth century enforce the principle which dominated the humble monk Johannes one thousand years ago?—Albert A. Stanley in the "Music Review."
49Luigi Chiostro's Death.—The violin virtuoso Luigi Chiostro died recently in Florence. The cause of his death is ascribed by five physicians to the partaking of unwholesome fish, which poisoned his system. He was at one time a member of Becker's celebrated quartet. He had much success as a teacher and composed more than twenty-five violin pieces. His death was immediately preceded by that of his mother; his wife died on the day of his interment and his son is not expected to recover. All died from eating the poisoned fish.
51Charles Dickens' Sister a Pianist.—The appearance of Mr. Dickens' elder sister as pianist, on the stage of Drury Lane Theatre, has not, I think, been noticed by any writer, says a contributor to "Notes and Queries." Her name occurs in the playbill on the occasion of Harley's benefit, May 29, 1827, among the performers in a concert introduced between the pieces, and supported by Miss Stephens, Miss Fanny Ayton, and others. She was announced thus: "Miss Dickens, of the Royal Academy of Music, the celebrated pupil of Mr. Moscheles, will perform her master's 'Recollections of Ireland.'" For the same actor's benefit, in the following year, she played "Anticipations of Scotland," also by Moscheles.
53Harley appears to have been an early friend of the Dickens family, and it was probably to his interest that Dickens owed the production of his plays at the St. James' Theatre, which happened while Harley was stage manager there.
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