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By
by
Mas. FRANZ
Is.
SOME
ASPECTS
OF
GIPSY
Is.
MIS1C. By D.
(cloth, 2s. net).
C. PARKER.
net
2
German by
net (cloth,
j
JOHN BROADHOCSE.
2s. net).
Is.
83
"'Tl
ML
Gr^A
To my
Mother.
594178
Priated by The
17
New Temile
Press,
.--. -^-
...
Music
PEKING
IN
RELATION
TO
LIFE
1
AND ART
17
THE Music
TORICAL)
OF
CHINA
(HIS-
25
41
61
THE
...
81
Music
WISE
ABSOLUTE
AND
OTHER95
109
LIGION
.'-?
.'.
...;
117
SPRING SONG
125
HUMORESQUE
133
143
ON ACQUIRING Music
b.^.,^.,^.,^.,^..-w..^.,^.,-^.,^..^.<?
I
i
5
| ]
|
* (
FOREWORD.
""THE majority
the
1 of these Essays are here presented to the public for f
first time. The Notes on Chinese Music appeared originally in the "Musical Standard," the Eternal Melody in the "Musical Times," and On Acquiring Music in the "Musical News." They are ineluded in this little volume by per-
jg
mission
prietors.
J
of
their
respective
pro-
(
,
( .
Music in Relation to
Life
and Art
\ \ i
\ \
\
I
,^
i
b-^"^'^te'^^'^^w-^'^'^.^rj'
!
O^.,^.,^.,^..^..^...^.
.^,.^.^.0
is
a commonplace, nowadays, to
i
with some truth. As an art, we havr only some hundreds of years to go back to find its beginnings, and we might fairly take as a
I
Ambrose at the close of the fourth century A.D. and Gregory in the
sixth century.
,f
But
as a
life,
day
give some proof of the universal sense of music throughout all the
ages.
to fall
into
.<^<.<~<,<*.<.<<.>~..~~,<..<.*,<,<^.,..<..4
MUSIC IN RELATION TO
the
short
\\
headings
:
of
l.
t
emotional
us,
and academical
space,
it
for
inquire
to
into
the
rela-
bears
\ve
the
latter.
I
Firstly,
may
distinguish
between religious and terrestial or secular emotional music; one which instinctively calls out our best, and urges the heart to exult with or lament with praise humiliation, the other which excites or calms irrespective of religious feeling.
It
is unnecessary to be actually in an atmosphere of religious influ-
such as a cathedral, a temple, or wherever worshippers are gathered, to feel the first of these emotional distinctions Cannot one be upraised or abased
ence,
:
through
the
music
of
absolute
t-^te
MttflC IN RELATION TO
absent.
10
Js this a bold
statement
1
make;' Listen to the still uucultivated music of the Kast, and the will realise missing you
ingredient.
At
some
far
first
distant
prehistoric
Egypt.
1 11
from inference and records, safely assuirc that during the thirtieth century H.C., two yreat peoples -the Chinese and the Egyptians were simultaneously advancing in manners and
nee,
we can
ideas.
It
is
^^*-^<^*<^*<^t*<^f^^f^f^
MUSIC IN KELATION TO
<
jF
of the Egyptians,
aud folk-songs were common among the poorer people, two of which survive to
this day.
One of Song
the
these
describes
sheep
below
The shepherd
is in
he
fish
He He
Nar
fish
West
J
:
to
harp
also reference
is
made
to a
-4
MUSIC IN RELATION TO
strongly influenced by music in their religious observances, and the sun worship of the Magi was
human
race,
/
and branches from this section spread through Asia Minor to Greece, and northward to the Crimea and Southern Russia.
sensitive
to emotional
in-
* Orpheus, poet, musician and religious teacher, is supposed to have lived about 1250 B.C. during the reign of Theseus, but he is too shadowy a character for historical
reference.
10
^.-^.-wfc.-^.-^>-..-^-fc.-^-^-^
MfSK
IN RELATION TO
started
some
system
of
choral
2
f
organisation.
It
is
different
of
to
deal,
B.C.
Jtoiiiiuis
we
to
music closely
people.
allied
to this
artistic
now
the
Kast,
ancient local
we
find
history, that the Chinese as far back as 30(X) B.C. had evolved a
system of music out of the former ideas of the aboriginal Miaotsz, together with their own knowledge.
We know
a
that
the
in
drum
their
performed
large part
acts of worship, and an enormous double-pieced trumpet or horn is supposed to be contemporary with
As
nil
cal
writings
were destroyed
12
in
't.^,.,^..^.,^o^.,^,.^o^<,^.,^.,^.tf
I
U
f
-*.-^-^<-^-^-fc.-^.H-fc.-^-^CJ
B.C.
proof
200, of
not really hard to reconstruct the enharmonic and wonderfully emotional music of these conservative people. In a former paper of mine which appeared in "The Musical Standard," I followed through the
though
it is
i 1
history of this slow moving and intellectual people with the dates
i
f
The same
spirit
is
noticeable in the
A.D.).
}
^.,^..^..^..^..^.,^.,^..^..^..^.4
Ml
M( IN HELAT1ON TO
o
A
f
O
description
festivals will
of
the sun
worship
convey
my meaning:
No
sooner did bis first rays apj>onr than a shout broke forth accompanied by songs of triumph and the wild melody of barbaric instruments. And nsain The
:
S
f
When Europeans
larging and organising the cult of music, the sense of absolute composition crept in, and the progress through the thirteenth and
more illustrious pupil, Palestrina, who already had evolved a grammar of music, and had settled rough laws of form and restriction.
It
has been
my
Prescott.
14
II
Peking
17
-^-^-.'^^te-^-^
PEKING.
!
jF
0.^.,^.,^,,^,^.,^,^..^..^.,^,^.o
I
the old East, this mysterious spot in which sentiment and are imperialism waring with
fatalism and intrigue?
Come on
spirit
and
the magic carpet of the I will touch the imto sort impressions.
I
glorious day with blue, blue sky, such as even Italy can scarcely vie
with,
and
by
this
teeming
city
guarded
high
And
colour everywhere.
,^..^..^.,^..^..^.,^.,^..^.,^.,^4
PEKING.
mixed
arabesque
in
And
life
in
of colour, a placid green English park: a sweet shaded spot of old trees
and the
You
recoil at the
and
On
to the
than
one
the
ever
full
knew
rich
existed,
against
green
of
summer
trees.
fnded
rornll
gold
Omar and
20
PEKING.
^k.>-^te.-^~<-^fc.'^-fc--^^.-^
^^-" ^*-
*-
of a
eastern
race
is
so
much
part of their life that I take you first to the fountain-head, and if you care to listen with me to the wail of the sacrificial music, the
spell of
fall
upon you.
But
on.
city
"forbidden
city,"
ones,
the prison of their royal symbolised in its golden tiles. Poor lonely souls, shut in it requires all the emblematic gold to hide the shadow of their
;
lives.
How
the sense of these great high temples, watching over the city comes upon one. How real seem
powers of darkness, as the enormous drums floats over the darkening scene. The Chinthe
roll of
is,
in its
way,
--^0-^.i
-.. -~l-..--fc..<-fc.-"fc.'l---c3
r
I'EKINC.
m~***^~*~*~~***~*~*~-*~~~~*~*^m
7
more absolutely enchanting than even Paris or London, and the
kaleidoscope of colour and sound, the lights and shadows and the
/
hovering unknown.
i
f
Ring up the curtain of darkness, and snatch another glimpse or two of this dream city.
s
/
Come down
of noise
this broad,
busy street
j
I
You
wish
to
that
acrobat, of his
attracted
by
enharmonic
wonderful
and
the
crowd
orchestra, of
children.
Now we
have the
stillness of
dead
1'EEINO.
r
I I
I
III
25
^>
<^b.
THE Ml
bit OF CHINA.
records, we can trace the tribes journeying east to China. Mac" of Gowan, in his History that "the originuChina," says tors of this present race are said to have come from the neighbourhood of the Caspian Sea, and by
some,
plain."
from
the
Euphrates
f
We know
the&e
hardly
anything
about
f
and
nil.
As with
of the
all
bolism
noting. is the
rest
the
ideas on
two
principles,
tion,
heaven
and
that
which
i.e.,
man
evolves, or plurality,
earth.
Again the
called
five
were
after
number
|
ated
threr
!
from
combination
of
the symbol of heaven, and tu-n, that of earth. Myth finishes and history commences in the story of the Chinese nation, as nearly as we can tell, with the
reformer, and a most and able man, and at once evolved a system of music from the primitive state in which it
a
great
clever
already existed, together with certain notions of the Chinese, about which more anon. He was
also the reputed inventor of the
29
THB Ml
910 OF CHINA.
lute
a
that,
his
own words,
"the
people
might be charmed with music, and thus be enabled to bear more cheerfully the burdens
life."
of
Undergoing
many
I
changes of development and enlargement, we next hear of music having assumed a more characteristic form, under the direction of
the
Emperor Huang-Ti (B.C. 2090), who gave names to certain notes and fixed upon a root bass note.
on
to
Passing
"
the
end
of
the
when the Emperor Yao died, mourned for him three years, and musical instruments
that
the people
were
i
/
j
30
I
9
A hanging
stone
the
may
he of
When
I smite my musical stoneBe it gently or strong, Then do the fiercest hearts lep for
joy,
And
among them-
selves."
"When
ye make to resound the atone melodious, When ye touch the lyre that is called
Ch'in,*
Then do the gh
to henr."
come
light
was Shun,
At
noted before.
32
jfj*^te<
O" ,
who
music
duties of rulers.
of odes,
back
to
considerable
period before the production of any other authenticated works, and in it we read of the court
nmsic masters, whose duty it was to set to music the contemporary I wish now to pass folk-songs. on to the Chen dynasty (1100
H.C.), and the following extract from ''The Religious System of China," by J. de Groot, will show how deeply the sense of music was planted in these people at
this period
"During
this
dvnasty,
at
burials
instruments
played
which
the
court
had
by
been musicians
were interment, placed inside the grave"; and as the ritual says, "for the purpose of gratifying the soul of the dead
during
the
Here
will
give
the
"liberal
of education,"
showing
evoluJ
various
musical
music, as
now.
The
f
first of these branches, altogether six in number, is "rites," the second is "music," which includes
:
fa).
Ywun-that
of
Whangdi
(B.C.
2fi97).
(b).
(e).
(B.C. 2357).
(B.C. 2255).
>-*,f
-fc-.>-^.-^..-^
1-^-l
Id).
(e).
(f).
Dahia
of
Dahoo
Dawoo
1122).
These are kept at the Yb Poo or "board of music," nt Peking, an office attached to the Le Poo or " board of rites."
to
the
progress of the musical art, by the edict of the Emperor Tsin or Chin (B.C. 200)," that all books
to be burned.
Now
first
this tyrannical
man was
the
and
The name of the country China literally means Chinna, and the other Asiatic peoples
ruler.
*
Von Alt
cites
Huang
36
Ti,
one of the
dvnasty.
THE Ml
MIC
OK CHINA.
>^fc.i
^
set
by this subject: "During the Sui dynasty, a Chinese traveller to Medina (the present Mecca), reports, ''they are well versed in
astrology, medicine
and music."
The two Emperors Ching-Kwan and K'ung Hsi, who largely patronised the musical art during the
seventh century A.D., left practically the modern form as it now
is
:
though
to
it
difficult
links of past ages as the western influence spreads and alters their
is
of
the
southern
scale,
northern
guishable
quite
by
the
people
and
38
b^'^^fc'^^*'^^^te<
THE MUSIC Of CHINA.
I
--' >--'--'^.>-^''^.>.-^...^..,te...-fc..,.^,0
these two kinds are each divided again into two sections, of ritual or sacred music (generally in the
minor
music.
scales,
are
dealt
with
to
I
in
further
these
that
and
on
get
and that,
though
the
result
may sound
horribly enhar-
tional.
monic, yet it is wonderfully emoThe__-reasausT__I think, why Chinese music is not attuned to western ears nuiy be de-fined
roughly as
^
I
unchanging hcala of this eastern music (JiJ, the lack qf. " atuiosproper and necessary;
and
musi.
39
I
ON CHINESE MUSIC.
CONTINUING
the subject of Chinese music, I think it advisable to commence with some notes on the
consisted
is
of
five
notes,
which
people
still
of
numerary
note, as follows
m
'O
f\
\,
*
C\
, o
KuJ
>in
\.
C\*J
W*.
" and The^semitonggJli "fanfare seldom ..usejj^jnaki-ng an onhnrNo abcolttte chromonic scale matic scale ^xists.
43
.-^.q,
{?'^.i-n-te.fc.>-^to.-^-^fc.i-^i
ON CHINESE MUSIC.
O.
;
The following
ale,
By
giving
the
rough
English
jf
equivalent, readers will see how many difficulties there are in fol-
In Chinese notation
X &
r
B
fra
S T
(
-&.
jj
7C
'vo
1
.
i *
45
.-*.
OX CHINESE Ml
SIC.
The
religious
rites
at
the
Lama
j
temple include much music, necessitating a somewhat large orchestra of drums, trumpets and
stringed instruments.
These drums
tions,
are
of
two descrip-
about three feot in diameter, made with a long handle and carried by a priest, with another priest to beat a slow note
one,
of intonation, generally B. The other is a highly ornate drum of
trumpets used are of various forms and sizes. At -the aforementioned Lama temple, one
ro hears the deep roar of great cylini
having
a pull-
4S
\
i
..
ON CHINESE MI'SIC.
idea of
gan.
It
ment about a
circular air chamber, from which fourteen reeds of differing length are led, each having in it a valve
opening either up or down, and thus answering to pressure or suction from a mouthpiece in the
air-box.
Some
tical
authorities claim
for
it
the
j
^KiN
It
1
,0
!
l /
Another, and later form, is the Se, or Goto, of which there are three or four kinds, with strings varying
f
from
twenty-five
to
fifty.
The Japanese imported this instruincut, under the name of Koto, and considerably enlarged its and literature. A possibilities volume of Koto music, in my
possession, is prefaced by the following quaint passage: "Though most of the pieces contained in
this
collection
the better portion of the old Koto music, yet for those words and
tunes occurring therein, which are liable to offend the public feelings on account of their vulgarity and meanness, pure and elegant ones have been substituted, thus preventing their baneful effects upon the character."
^'he
last
of
ON CHINESE MUSIC.
this instrument, or rather in family descent from it, reached Jby the Chinese, is the Tsing or Chin.
is
J'This with
)ner
strings in threes, after the manof the present-day "triin piano, diminishing length with the shape of the instrument.
cord "
These tricords are raised at alternate ends, and are struck with
fixed
to
end,
J
j i
The strings are harp. turnable screws at one and can be tuned by a
Now
OX CHINESE MUSIC.
music, we find in a work by Luscinius (A.D. 1536) an engraving of the "dulcimer," played by
two small
sticks,
It
is
more
the
than
interesting
to
notice
races,
development of two
world, apart.
and
working
entirely
The Western intellect has of course carried on the '"dulcimer" to our grand piano, whereas the
tual,
Piano"
to
the
reader,
for
a
/
54
ON CHINESE MUSIC.
fc
^ .^fc.-^'^-^'^'^-^'^-^-CI
I
give it able to
gather.
;Itsmeaning
fluence
sions
inventor
called
it
"Sh'in,"
(laws
f
?were
f
of the instrument after natural designed the length was originally in inches, corresponding to the days of the year the five strings the five elements the rounded body represented the and the pegs, irrespec:
were placed
in to
two-stringed
made drum
of
bambeing
It
is
"^fctfy
ON CHINESE M18IC.
|
\
r^,,.fc..,-te.^-.--
<
*''* *l
<
"'"'"*'**
much used by tho poor people, who tune it to the "fifth" interval,
j
The SHt'-Tm
in tho
manner
of the
"chanter"
mov/
The "musical stone"* has already been mentioned, and one cnn only add that it is exclusively a
temple property.
^Street bands arc common, and one meets them in every quarter of a big city. Their ensemble is comprised of drums, small ShuTih trumpets, cymbals, and a sort of wooden rattle, not unlike tho modern " bones."
* f
Te-ch'ing.
60
ON CHINESE MC8IC.
ON CHINESE MC8IC.
1
i
during
five
days,
without,
how-
The
Chinese character for the "cithern," here mentioned, is the same as the Japanese use for their Koto, so we may presume that some form of Kin is referred to. Again: "Should they have Buddhistic ceremonies performed, and sung with accom-
jf
paniment of bamboo
silken
flutes
and
put a stop to
the
local
it."
One can
delighted
see to
j|
officers
In conclusion, one can only say that in all probability, within the
next ten years, a modern spirit will have invaded China, and a 58
ON CHINESE MUSIC.
*
61
>--fc.-^i(i
r
f
\
i
(
many
unexpected
things,
and
gives glimpses of the most unsuspected wheels within the wheels of our ken. I first came in contact with the
"Eternal Melody"
No more than
pened to catch the phrase "Eternal Melody," and also to on the note the expression priest's face, one almost of fear and my interest was roused and
;
memory
could
dinted.
However,
>'^h.^te^fC^te'^h.^b-^k.^fe.^te-'^.'^fe>b}|
and
(
work
I
it
calling
a
me
to
other
parts,
holed
theme
prema-
Two
get
and
in
what way
it
sounded to
2
me
full.
friends
through, and though the weather was hot, yet the snipe were in and I was delighted at the prospect of two days' shooting, tak-
ing camp with us, and as much ammunition and cold tea as we
could carry.
Birds rose plentiful and well that first day, and we had a hard, hot melee through the paddy fields 64
M
coolie
in a
accents.
tired
jf
though the natives would in no way have molested us, yet one gets in the habit of sleeping with one ear open in
bodies,
tropical
climes.
Be
this
as
it
may, one of my companions also awoke, and swearing softly, complained of the mosquitos, when, becoming aware of the voices he listened until sure that it was only the coolies, and then uphis voice in denunciation, aided by a boot from under the
lifted
tent.
l;
What
about?"
have
been
unfriendly
patois.
inJ
I as far as melody, gathered, but if they attempt to sing I shall probably shoot them.
Goo'-night."
I
lay
for quite
my
mind
and
clearer
clearer, all
"Eternal Melody," Melody," until I was wide awake and trying to reason out a connection between these two. Had
fernal
away
for so long,
me?
What made
tell,
me
if
could
wrest
it
from
the
f
natives.
The nest morning I took A. aside my awakened companion of the night and asked him to act
as
interpreter
for
me without
re-
asking
me any
questions or
which he having willingly acceded to, the coolies were called and my exampeating
request,
my
ination began.
It
would be waste of time to give the conversation in full, but at the mention of the words, "Eternal Melody," all three of them looked horribly scared and shook their heads as though to deny
any knowledge.
I
assured them, through A., that conversation had all been heard, and shooting a random
their dart,
I
told
them that
68
was
|H
*"fc
1 waiting to hear "the Melody.' this they gazed at me in pure stupefaction, and were unable to speak for some time, eyeing each other the while with questioning eyes, half filled with sad amazement and half of doubt.
At
little
or nothing
from them except that the "Eternal Melody" had been heard in the tiny village last and then they absoevening
;
refused to say another word, becoming merely sulky and fidgety, at which A. suggested I should "stop rotting the poor devils, and let's get on."
lutely
off,
white figures passing to and fro as if in trouble; but not a word could we get from the coolies as 69
-^ -.
i
1 1
-^.
>
to the cause,
me
Nothing further of note happened during this "melodic" episode, and thus for the second time the subject was blocked.
And now
and was
last
will
time of my life when I to touch the problematic string of the "Eternal Melody."
Whilst staying in Peking, early in the 1910, year during such spare time as my duty allowed
f
me, and
Chinese
f
music, and had much wanted to meet the president of the Y6sion
Rite*.
My
if
it
THE
il
ETERNAL MELODT.
was known that a distinguished stranger was interested in musical lore, and with the aid of
[sic]
certain monetary outlay wherewith to approach the household servants, the audience might be but I was surprised arranged when I was sitting in the hall of the "Waggons-Lit" Hotel one about ten evening, o'clock, smoking a last cigar, to hear my guide announce in my ear that our rickshas were waiting to carry us to the house of the mandarin Lew-ki, President of the
:
Yo-Poo
Without
hesitation
slipped on a thin coat and followed the guide out to the wait-
ing rickshas.
I
was not paying much attention, however, that evening, and did not notice how far we had gone until the stillness and shifty darkness gave pause to wonder 71
g
how our evening was going
end.
to
1
We
arrived at length before an imgateway, some distance outside the city, and immediately
posing
upon our drawing up the gates were thrown back, and a brilliantly dressed figure beckoned to
us to enter.
f
*
Telling
the
rickshas
to
wait,
passed in, followed by my guide, and the gorgeous one l"d 119 across a long courtyard, fringed with fir trees and lighted only by a small Chinese lantern, hanging over a doorway at the far end.
Through
this
ducted, and I was ushered into a large room, comically European and decoratively Chinese, with a
faint
stick
smell
of
"
hanging
72
1
and here we were invited to remain until the great one would I was admiring some exsee us.
quisite carving on
table,
* f
small side
door again opened and in came the smallest and oldest Chinese that I had ever seen, dressed quite plainly
the
silk brocade,
when
though handsomely in dark blue and wearing a small round black hat with the red mandarin's button.
his
entrance, the former doing acrobatic marvels which I was incapable of imitating, and the
mandarin returned our salute and announced he was most honoured that his humble roof should welcome such a distinguished
visitor.
jf
made appropriate
THE
"ElKlt.NAI,
MELODY.'
utter
this
uuworthiness
of
myself,
of
adjec-
tions
which
really
on some queswanted to
know about.
Now
musical terms in Chinese, and know the names of the scale in that language, so that it was not long before the guide was left out of the conversation, my host
also
English, and being withal a most accomplished artist at the translation of ideas into the language
of the hands.
We warmed
thusiasts will,
much
of
his
74
was
f
tremendously
pleased with his suggestion, as these things were rare and not for many eyes, and
so
he led
me through numerous
passages and down many stairs until we reached a heavy, studded door which he unlocked. We
then entered a circular chamber, brilliantly lighted with numerous lanterns and surrounded with shelves of instruments and various old books of ancient music
and old parchments. I noticed how very hot it was in this room, and thought that it must be from
its
situation
underground,
all.
as
We
took down and examined instruments galore, I asking a hundred questions, but conscious of a growing faintness as the heat
also grew more insistent seemed to hear a faint sound
:
of
t
,
-..
^.
i ,
-^. . -^.
i
a harp from somewhere far away, and infinitely sad were the
yet no air did it play that I could recognise as either European or Chinese.
strains,
I
had reached a
shelf on which was one very old and yellow roll of parchment, and lifting it gently down had just seen at the top the symbol (*;, which is the sign of Adam or " ancestorof mankind," when my legs seemed to give way, my head swam, and I heard the music growing louder in most as cadences sad wonderful
though some great theme was about to enter, and the voice of
my
Ah old host saying to me: I see you look upon the Eternal
"
Melody."
Then
remembered no more.
*
* *
"Yes," the mandarin was saying, "it is quite the oldest record we have, and it is verily the song that Adam sang when the shadow of death first crossed his path; and so it is sung by the departed ones when another is about to join them from this
earth of ours."
*
We
of
were back in the spacious room our first meeting, and I was
refreshed
feeling
and recovered,
having rested whilst my kind host had unfolded to me many things that I would love to
retell.
Looking at
it
my
to be nearly
morning, so, rising, I told the guide to make my dutiful apologies for trespassing so long on the great man's time, and to re-
^f
I
^.0
turn
my
best
thanks for
all
his
And
so,
bowing,
I left
him, and we
/
found the rickshas outside and were whirled back to the hotel and to life. But I kept trying to regain that sad lilt which 1
knew
"Eternal
evening
I
grieved to read of the death of the President of the Y6-Poo, who had suddenly died early that
morning.
Whether the old man himself heard the "Eternal and Melody,"
self, I
it
my-
white
man had
ever
heard
it
full
I
f
^riv
f
i
79
tff
VI
7th Century
81
THE EVOLITION OK Ml
SIC.
who counted
in
their
company
/
many
During the thirteenth century they travelled largely through France and Spain. The King of Aragon being one of them himself (thus a musical link from Spain).
their volks-
were
welded
into
their
r
which was essentially the ago of volkslieder, saw its culmination in men like Martin Luther, 1483, who even whilst
at school was noted for his
all
still
his life
was an ardent advocate of sacred music and singing; also one must remember that " Ein FesteBurg" was not his only composition.
Another name, worthy of mention,
84
Q ,.., -*..,i'^.-.-^-^o.-^*-'-*fc.>'^i-^fc.tp
is
d
German chant
writer.
music,
which
one
must
I
{Celtic remember
country,
during
century.
Rhiccert,
/
certain
Rhys
ap
of
was
love
composer
numerous
member hearing some years ago. The "March of the Men of Harlech" was to commemorate the
|
capture
Yorkists
of
the
town
the
against
by the Lancas-
'
>-"
..
ifci-fc.
-.
O ^^ir^fc'^M^'^fc'^fc.'^fc.^^fcir^fc.ip
We
have a Genevan psalter of 1540, showing that in central Europe the musical movement was in forward progress.
now, having very scantily touched upon the back soil, as it were, in which the future blossoms were to thrive, we will pass from generalities to a great personality, namely, Claude Goudimel.
And
was
of
French parentage,
all
and
land,
having absorbed
avail-
responsible
for
many
from
pen,
and
one
can
imagine him always expending his powers for the good of the
86
Church. In later life he returned to France, and harmonised Clement Marot's translation of the psalms he died at
;
mew's.
The next
to
his
direct step,
from teacher
da Palestrina.
So many
full bio-
graphies of this great man are available, that I shall not enter
into details about his
life.
Born at Palestrina, about twenty miles from Rome, in 1524, he commenced his musical education early, studying under Goudimel, and at the age of thirty was
maestro di capella of the Julian While Chapel of St. Peter's. there, he published a collection
87
of masses,
which led
of
to his join-
ing
the
;
singers
this
the
Sistine
Chapel
Pope Paul IV, owing to his married state, and in 1555 he was made choirmaster of the
Lateran, the first of the Roman and styled in the churches,
f
Roman
city
cil
The couni
having the reform of church music under discussion, turned the remodelling over to
Palestrina, who, as a result, produced a set of three masses one, the " Missa Papse Marcellse,"
now
so
universally
known
the
He
died on February
of
St.
arms
canonised
88
church, whom one can almost call the founder of oratorios and religious
music-drama.
I
shall
Two contemporaries
tion,
men:
heads of their the respective national music first, Sebastian Franck, was an early German poet, living about
as
typical
The
other,
our
first
English comf
poser of note, William Byrd, was born in London during the year
1538.
He was
also
a pupil of
Thomas
Tallis,
an organist and composer, whose celebrated canon, "Glory be to Thee," we now sing, and subsequently became an organist His virginal book at Lincoln.
of
Queen
Elizabeth,
containing
clavier pieces, of
"Oh
of
Mistress
Mine,"
setting
Shakes-
He
A
f
link
in
international
music
f
in the per-
ison
Elizabeth's
reign
was
of
fruitful
of
musicians,
many
the
first
water: John Bull (1563) and Orlando Gibbons from (1583) Monteverde England; (1568), that from great harmonist, Italy and the year after the virgin queen's death, was born the
;
Italian,
Carissimi
(1604-74).
In 1633, Jean Baptiste Lully was born at Florence, and his is a notable figure in the history of the growth of musical art, insomuch as he was the father of 90
opera iu Pans, where his own principal works, "Psyche" and "Arminde" were produced. He died in the year 1687, and one wonders if he ever met his celebrated successor, Couperin.
The
year 1568 gave us Purcell, another English link in the great art, and about whom it is unnecessary to discuss at length greater writers have done him
honour in
full.
In 1659, Alessandro Scarlatti was born, an important event in Italian music, as this musician
lived for sixty-six years,
enlarging.
/
France's
famous son, Francois Couperin, was born on November 10, 1668, near Paris, his father being of a family of French or91
ganists.
rightly
pieces,
Francois, known and famous for his clavier was organist at St. GerParis,
vaise
uncle.
in
He
died
1733.
Another great French composer was born at Dijon, on September 25, 1683 namely, Jean Philippe
old
Rameau. He was eighty-one years when he died in Paris, and his life was a busy one, spent in
in
1685,
giants,
were born, and music took on new forms and meaning, and rapidly developed towards our dny accumulation of present
knowledge.
These
few
notes,
garnered
from
92
d-te.<-fc.i-^.>--^.t-.i--f*.-*.>-te.-te.si
many
f
who has
J
8S
1
,^.M
,^,,^..^ ^. ,^.,^..^.,^,
.^
t?^te^te^*^te^te^te^*^'*^^'^r?
! * !
i I
a
Music
Absolute and
Otherwise
I I
*
95
UCSIC
'
Above
all,
get understanding."
POR
The
a
first
'
mean, perfectly grammatical and idiomatic music mathematically correct in its mechanism, and euphonically balanced, over and above any emotional side. The second may
;
broad
to
be any feeling, emotion, action, colour, or combination of these, set out musically in such a way
that the brain grasps quickly and concisely the meaning, and the emotional spirit is swayed in the
required direction. 97
"f
Ml'SlC
Now,
liaving defined
let
my two
at
clas-
I
^ I
say that too strict a line between them is fatal and erroneous to the proper understanding of any tone literature.
sifications,
me
once
Because a symphony
is
symphony,
con\
may
it
think otherwise
Tchaikovsky un-
deniably did, though some there be who would tie this emotional
down to academic rules. And may we read nothing into the Ninth Symphony save peergiant
Berlioz again seemed to think otherwise, as did
less
construction?
and
as
hope
many
May
have
MUSIC
^^^
^^.
ftgl
ft
^^^.-4
^^^.
^^.
^^^.
* >
*^^.
^^h.
4 I
^^^.
^^^.
mf i
The complete masterpiece may be said to represent the onward march of Fate, and how powerless and unavailing it is for man to attempt an evasion from its
sweeping, crushing progress.
movement
/
short phrase of
but
four bars
fugally.
At this point a struggle is made to check the march of fate. Fiercer and fiercer it rages, till a soft,
plaintive
strife,
argument
rising
gradually, 100
MUSIC
force
is felt, it
cords
message of hope.
This passage, which occurs again later in the movement, is the most "intimate" Grieg in the
mode
tempo.
It
seems that Fate whispers, she not altogether a tragedian, and announcing some coming joy.
is
A new
before
Fate
her path.
yearning
tion
is followed by its reacdeep melancholy, until the approach of Fate note the
of
101
MC8IC
crescendo,
restlessness
and
ever-increasing
spirit
works the
up
to pure desperation.
Fate
triplet
trumpets, the old theme comes crashing down in fugal octaves, twisting the air through a triplicate maze, and
of
in an exfights onward, till, hausted condition of descending
fanfare
Gradually Fate emerges from this theme, and taking it on, swells her train up to two great chords, and then plunges off, "con fuoco," unchecked and uncheckable. The movement ends in a
MUSIC
is
lost in
Amen,
sforzato assai.
The second movement C major is perhaps the most difficult to analyse in words, for though the Fate scheme is working all through, the feeling is more instinctive than acknowledged. The opening melody
is
just a pure,
first
innocence.
The time suddenly changes to 12-8, and a restless mood grows up. Fate gives sudden warnings at the fourth and eighth bars, the
iindercurrent
of
events
getting
The original
richer
MffilC
self-re-
up
life
with a great, glad rush from the bass, the young bursts untried, but nothing
daunted
victory.
The
air
strange rumblings are heard, as of doubt till merely uncertainty remains, and all the joy of vic-
The movetory has died out. ment ends with deep, rich, descending chords, like sleep upon
the tired soul
yet disturbed by a strange lurking nightmare of distrust, as to the final issue.
;
of
an undefeat-
The
third
movement
104
is,
without
MUSIC
^'^-'^-^..-^..^t,-*.,,^.,,-^.,,.^,^
doubt, the crux, the climax, of the whole sonata.
It
opens with a slow and marvelharrowing march, in 3-4 time, commencing piano, working up to fortissimo, and then sublously
siding again.
Such absolute conviction is carried in this onward march, that you realise how futile it is to attempt
resistance or evasion.
second theme follows, soft and plaintive, as though Fate were sorry for her "brick wall" attitude,
jf
but
bursts
again
into
And now
it
is
who
8
cares
MIS1C
not at
all
for Fate.
After this
The Fate march is again heard advancing, and now proudly sweeps
on to the end, stopping abruptly, to signify a complete mastery of
the situation.
f
understood,
readily
minute
The
The latter flings out a challenge Three times it is given out, and
three
growing
jf
106
MUSIC
madder and
she sinks exhausted for the time, and the melody dies away in the
bass.
any dealings
of chance.
herself, pictured in heard, repeated in full harmony. She then, with a loud
flourish, retires,
and
alarmed,
the
attack.
The whole
be
scribed,
better
doubts not that by this long discoursing, much of the imaginative point has been lost.
It has been merely
my
wish, how-
107
MfSIC
D
ever, to instance a great "absoI
lute"
"explicable"
transferment.
Let music be an exact art let it have its grammar and idioms, its mechanics and mathematics; but
:
let
understanding feeling and play through it all, so may we be on our way to understand the
manner of men our great masters were, and such thoughts as were
theirs.
|
I
108
,
VIII
109
)
) a
\
|7
VERYONE with
viduality
in
grain
of
indi-
their composition
with music, whether by playing or listening. It may arise from various reasons, chiefly, I think,
being an intuitive knowledge of soiled and unfit condition of one's "personality," to use one expression out of many.
It
nature's law of protection over her most precious gifts, and unis
in
Schumann
wrote
:
knew
is
this
when
he
" It
ness."
really
great
this
pianist,
temporarily
}
in
state,
was
2
in
pressed beyond
all
boundaries of
good taste to play the Beethoven C sharp minor Sonata. It rose a poor dead outline from the
piano,
final
suffused
with
little
;
humility and
contorted in this mood, and the restless soul brooded without any
sting
of
rebellion
or
gleam of
hope.
The
in
fullest
one of thanksgiving.
Such a complete cameo of this state, to my mind, is the D major march of " Scipio " the sense of uplifting is extraordinary, and it
;
might well
of
be
used
as
kind
before
preliminary
"office"
playing.
If the
spirit
is
receptive,
and the
112
^.ti-^.-^.
-^.0
go and you are wonderful enough, play Schumann's great C major Fantasia (Op. 17). It is perhaps the most exciting thing
of exultation,
mood one
hear,
or
if
in the whole of piano literature, and after it is over, just let the
mood
lead where
it will,
and
as-
To properly fulfil in oneself the Ninth Symphony, the intellect must rule the mood, and then, and only thus will the mood carry
one above the intellect at
unfettered time.
It seems to
its
own
1
me that one
should go
by no means
thetic creation
113
I
absolutely joy-tilled mind, strugwith the " Pathetique" gling
Cowper's
the
There
"simpatica"
is in
of
music:
And
as the
j
/
pleaded
With melting airs nr martial, brisk or grave, Some chord in unison with what we hear
Is touched within us, and the heart replies-
Has
sudden jar
man who
MUSIC AND
J5
>IOOD.
t|
i
"~^*
""
'
~ T*^
't~n
T^M *t~>
n ^^n-^n n_i
f *
One
4
is
forced
to
changed; and the composition of to-day is a good mental barometer of the restlessness and tricked-out
clevernpss of the generation.
"mood"
Comparison
is bad, but one need not offend by glancing back to the melody of Mozart, and keeping in mind the smudged har-
mony
When
of certain
"moderns."
f
f
nerves are racked and tenses blunted By some shrill Strauss, melodic stunted ; Then find repose from mood thus dark, In aunny fugues of J. S. Bach.
f f
"
!
^~
115
*'^'^'^^fc-^^fc^fc^fc^H^i^fc
>
cE
Reflections
on Music
j
and Religion
i
i
i
,
I
VV7E seem
from
to
days when Plato wrote of music as a moral law from the days of whole-hearted devotional plainsong; and from the days of Bach's inspired life work. We like our services to be
the
;
artistic and ernodecorative, tional our Bach, from the concert-platform, in diluted doses.
;
shadowing
character.
this
latter
is
the
stronger
influence
in
mind,
as
Hogg
emblem
119
of the bliss
REFLECTIONS ON
m
But if the former predominates, then the musician becomes a fanatic, with no room in
above."
his mind, soul or intellect for The misaught but his art.
directed
talent of
Max Nordau
:
by saying that " " ParListening to the music of sifal has become the religious act of all those who wish to receive the communion in musical form." Now these points of view need
'
reconciling,
and
fully
is
bclievr
solved,
that
the
problem
example set before us than the life of Beethoven? Has the world
produced anything greater symphonically or devotionally? The religious ascetic finds no consolation in a
mere work of
if
art,
howit
ever noble,
the conscience
120
shocked
by
the
absence
of
the
f
not to be denied and, after all, the idea of praise in musical form is impressed all through the
:
Scriptures.
vices,
let
it
Again,
of
if
music
is
to
religious
ser-
be of the highest,
f
needing much willing practice to the glory of God and combining the emotional spirit with the best results of absolute music. I think it was George Macdonald who
5
f
summed up
words,
apply
which
to
"Content
r
dows
REFLECTIONS ON
.^..^..^..^..^..^..^,0
of his mind open to the holy winds and pure lights of heaven, and the side windows of tone
....
forth
let
upon his fellow men the tenderness and truth those upper in influences bring forth any
opera1 am of opinion that it cannot be right to assume thai music is merely one of the greatregion tion."
est
exposed
to
their
art-forces
of
pass
from
one
to
velopment
some pause
for
thought as to
it>
modern
work
of
religious
ten/
than festival productions and I that academic chants!' feel Browning would so thoroughly
disagree
in
with
these
sentiments.
5
f
so
much
in
beauty,
122
I
*'
constant pledge before heaven of and yet I cannot used talents help throwing out these reflections upon a subject that inter:
ests
me
so deeply.
123
X
Spring Song
125
Sl'KIXG SONG.
and J gathered rich-lined garnets from the bramble hedges wonderful shades of colour, from
start,
;
I
i j
full,
But
of
as
passed on
all
my way,
the joy
new things
1
seix/od
upon me.
/
and
from
a
me
past year.
Then the magic road became a small mountain pass of Switzerland, and I urged on to the snowy heights showing above me, in
patches between the
as
f
firs.
Here,
mounted,
little
beautiful
disclosed themselves, sapphires small starry flowers of great loveliness. The woods smelled of pine and bursting life, and once
T thought that Pan darted across a sun-streaked glade: but maybe it was only a rich-plumed pheasant. 128
SPUING SONG.
-^-.-fc.<f^.f^0
lo,
Japan
lay
1
me,
with
Fuji in the stunted pine wood stretching into the middle distance.
real
English coppice again, of budand what ding hazel this time treasure trove, think you, was in this sylvan scene?
The first topaz England I'll swear, or so it seemed to me must be the case, for I had listened most jealously as to news of the first
straw-yellow
in
!
found
primrose.
Well,
it was mine, and for five minutes I hardly dared to pick it: oh wondrous gem, what friend is worthy of such a gift
!
And
129
.^.f
8 Pit ING
SONG.
and
saw
the
plaiius
of
Greece
all
round, and a tiny clump of arbor vita? in a sunny corner of an emerald field, for all the world
like
Marathon.
J
It
I
it
passed
little
village
church, surely of all things most close to the heart of English scenery. Walking up the mossy
path
to
I
the
old
black
wooden
whom
should be
my
topaz treasure.
of
re-
Sdoor,
Surely
i
to-day
first-fruits,
turn to
time.
Him
And
!
j
blooms were laid on the porch step with one word of thank-, when on turning hack toward the
13n
SPRING SONG.
gate
I discovered a pearl of price a tiny snowdrop, nearly hidden in the long grass and I knew, as
;
everyone
must
know sooner or
is
later, that
So have
right
spent ray
first
day of
as
181
133
HUMORESQUE.
J
herself
t
flatter
and though a most kind heart prompted the dear lady in all her ways, words and works, yet there were times when was studying in London for a and being musical degree,
tioual situation,
.
Sarah's
rushed
nit
my primers and contrapuntal communiugs to my fate. A maiden lady of ample means of wide and huge vitality,
from
without comprehension, and with a reputation for excellent dinners and amusing parties, Aunt Sarah had never
sympathies
the slightest
difficulty
13T>
in
filling
HUMORE6QUB.
and had and meet Monsieur Grandton, the eminent and composer, on the pianist
her
interesting
house with
And
furthering
if
of
my
!
worldly
prospects
possible
The aunt had rather less idea of music than the wood a piano is made of, but this was no deterrent to her sense of social inter-
anl
t
:
above
things did she dislike being found at fault, or in any way "off the (artistic) line."
all
of
the
former as a keen "life-long joy," and the latter for smoothing the way over many bad ruts in the 136
f
Hl'MORESQTE.
-6
pupil,
solid
had
hours,
with:
and
no sense of , absolutely rhythm. You have colour and with a comical air of kind'' but then so ness and despair, The stern, has your face !" whimsical master shouted with laughter, which the poor, red, perspiring student could not resist and so these two, with
;
newly-joined sympathies again tackled the scaly heights of Parnassus. So much for the dramatis persona?, and now to return
to the action of this tiny
drama.
a
off
in
per-
laughter and conversational nothings, and Aunt and Sarah, nothing daunted
froth of
greatly
daring,
had
begged
.
M. Grandton
Now
HUMORESQUE.
paces to amuse the of a probably unsympathetic crowd, yet on this lie occasion particular very graciously walked to the piano
through
passing
his
moment
and seated
a
lull
own
When
died
hurried
thousand
ite tune,
my
favour-
Mendelssohn, is it not. Ah, yes, such a great composer, I prefer him to anyone yes, nearly " Aunt Sarah all his
'
things.'
HITMORESQCE.
O
give
.Mi,
us
just
how good
Now
/
listen
properly,"
Jaunt: looking
f
for a seat
must just
see to her.
where, for the next ten minutes, a fevered whispering took place Meanwhile with Mrs. Gibson. the great pianist had resumed his seat and commenced a familiar
sly
of
fugue
in
and variation,
issued
j
After the complete statement, one heard a queer, unfamiliar to do in the bass, swelling upwards in minor chords and swamping the whole under the rather hack140
lfc'^fc*'^fc*^^fc'^fc.'^fc.'^.r^fc.'^fc.f^fc.^fc.A
->-fc.
HtMOKESQUE.
the
The two motifs were then most wonderfully woven into a solid
structure of tone, culminating with a tremendous passage of virtuosity right up the keyboard.
Everyone gasped with surprise and Aunt Sarah, hearing wonder. the noise stop, had got up and made for M. Grandton, taking me by the arm as she passed me.
"
How
most
charming
quite,
quite beautiful, and I always say that is the best thing you ever wrote"; and turning to me, she
added:
that,"
"Now
a wonderful
man
UtMOllLsQl
E.
:
f
who
was,
and
stood
absc
f
vast dilemma.
to
me
:
with a
'Is
it
niinuetto'-"
142
XII
On Acquiring Music
143
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^K-**'^^'-"
ON ACQUIRING MUSIC.
.O
(
makes one's heart ache to see enormous waste of really good material and talent from indifferent, and even downright wicked tuition. The sadness of hearing the story, "I had all the
the
music
child,"
taught
is
out
of
me
as
pathetic,
and
so appallf
ingly
common.
From
after
lever
bound down to
pitiful exf
Repetition
takes any entirely rhythmic feeling from the music, and it isn't as though we could all be Paderewski -there's the
wasto.
145
ON AtgtIBI.NC SitblC.
a ,^..^.~~~.^
I
It fell
most wonderfully to my fortune to have learnt my earliest lev-sons from a fine old musician,
may
Far
be
allowed
from
von
Technique":
too,
for
is
say a piano,
very beautiful and a very personal one, but still by no means the finest and not even the most emotional therefore, is
:
the
diamond
uot
more
When
1
the seeker
shown visions of a
wonderful tone land, and helped to gauge some of its exquisite 146
ON ACQUIRING MUSIC.
mysteries, it follows that when the steep ascent, the actual work he does, commences, he will press gladly on to gain that kingdom
of tone,
How
can the poor, dea'f mute musically deaf, and unable to interpret the stirrings that it feels
show
any enthusiasm
at
the
j|
ultimate end.
I
make it a law that every pupil did a year's course of listening before any thought of applied study was undertaken and then he should acquire rhythm for another three months or more before the field of personal
should
r
;
at
an
ON ACQUIRING Ml Ml.
early
f
.stage
to
differentiate
Emotion
I
really
manifested
is
sensation,
f
and sensation
per-
ception fulfilled.
Sir
William
Hamilton,
an
old
follows:
feeling.
ing,
perception
though always co-existent, are always in the inverse ratio to each other."
And
imagination must he cultivated: that power which coinIn lies our varied conceptions and impresses the whole with the
I
^..^..^..^..^..^..^..^..-^..^..^n*
ON ACQUIRING MUSIC.
attractive
and
delightful,
or
more grotesque and horrible, as the case may be. And never let passion be mistaken for these sensitive vibrations of the mind.
jl
said
and
always controllable by reason," it is just this control which will lead the aspirant to the very heights of intellectual emotion.
all
Let us do
we can then
for the
they
may
realise this
intellectual emotion
of music at
|
*
149
*
Printed by Tkf
17