Musical Times Publications Ltd.

Chats on Current Topics. III. Present: A Composer, a Singer, an Amateur Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 31, No. 565 (Mar. 1, 1890), pp. 137-139

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This content downloaded from 160.36.178.25 on Wed, 21 Oct 2015 11:55:36 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MARCH 1, I890 I37 S. I forgiveyou, A. THE MUSICAL TIMES C. Be quiet,you two. The frivolityof the age is apparentenough without exemplification here. I was AND SINGING-CLASSCIRCULAR. trying to draw your volatile minds to the probable MARCH I, I890. eSects of the demandnow made by Anglo-Saxondom in generalupon the executiveart of this country. _ A. Anglo-Saxondom(what an ugly compound!) CHA1S ON CURRENT TOPICS. will take the best, and leave some chancesfor second- rate talent. III. S. Like mine. Go on, A. Present: A COMPOSER,A SINGER,AN AMATEUR. A. Yes, like yours,if you will have it so. A. I have just come from the Pachmann Concert C. Not far fromthe mark,I think. But I objectto in St. James's Hall a conjunction of husband and the term" second-ratetalent," and prefer undeveloped wife, master and pupil, pianist and pianist. That is or unrecognised,as not onlymore polite,but possibly to say, a very perfect blend indeed. morecorrect. C. Excuse me if I seem ignorant, but, to tell you 5. A fig for yourfine distinctions. the truth, I no longer follow the developments of C. Very well; I drewthem to take the point out " pianism." Had not the occasion a specialty of of a possible and personalapplicatio}z. Do let me some sort ? proceedwith my argument. No one,even in thought, A. Yes; the Concert was the first of two farewell depreciatesthe value of great executiveartists; but performances. The Pachmanns are going to the circumstancesare conceivablein which they appear United States, don't you know. scarcely an unmixedgood. Our own country is a S. We are all going to the United States in these small one, for example,and a few establsshedsingers days, and Farewell Concerts are becoming an insti- of commandingtalent may take all the best engage- tution amongst us. Perhaps I should add that they ments I don'tmean the best in a pecuniaryso much are becoming a nuisance also, since they illustrate as in an artistic sense. What is the result? Dis- not only the art of music but that of the showman. couragementin the lower but still aspiringranks. When I am engaged to visit a country of Greater As the colonelsin Parliamentsay of their profession Britain you will see me depart without beat of drum, "the flow of promotionis stopped,"the avenues to clothed in the modest dignity of a true artist. distinctionare blocked. Spreadyour great vocalists A. Hm ! sorry, my dear fellow, that there is no over pardonme Anglo-Saxondom,and you make immediate likelihood of your setting so admirable an an openingfor those who wouldbe great. example. S. There'sa good deal in what you say. I, as a S. That's for all you know; but I must say we baritonewith possibilities(don't laugh), have watched singers behave ourselves under such circumstances Charles Santley's Australian progress with an much more becomingly than others. Santley went interest not wholly unselfish. I am delightedwhen away to Australia without formal farewelling; I readthat he is happy and makingmoney. I hope Edward Lloyd, when he departs for America, makes he will stopthere. In his absenceI makemoney and no fuss- am happyI C. And Adelina Patti ? A. That remindsme. I met Flatton,the tenor,at S. Oh, come now! Leave the ladies alone. A an " at home" last evening,and found him in high female singer is always a duality, so evenly balanced spiritsover Lloyd's approaching departure to America. as to its parts that one can hardly say whether He declares that his book is full for the period of the woman exists for music or music for the woman. Lloyd'sabsence, and thatJat last, he hasgot a chance A. Indeed ! I thought the distinction easy to make. of cuttingE. L. out. S. Well, say that it is. Anyhow, very much of S. What ! Flatton! We used to call him throaty the woman enters into the compound, and if the Jim at the Academv. woman likes a little fuss, a special offering of cheers C. Pray don'tdiscuss Flatton save as a witnessfor and bouquets, and an opportunity to air one of the the truth; which is, I take it, that musgcalartists dresses which are to witch the New World or the who have not yet made their highest mark never Antipodes, why should she not be indulged ? enjoyedbetter opportunitiesthan now. 1hings are C. Dear creature ! why not, indeed. Anyhow, we spreadingout and givingroom. can't get rid of the Eternal-Womanly. It will always A. That's it. Diffusionis the orderof the musical hang about music, with furbelows and fripperies. day. We don'tpay enough attention to this matter, A. Our talk is becoming not only ungallant, but un- I wrotean article on "Diffusion in Music" for the profitable. The question that has cropped up in it Nineteenth Centugy, but was told that the Editor presents a graver side for our consideration, since it accepts nothing which isn't signed, or strongly must be a serious matter for music at home that our recommended,by a Duke,or a Bishop,or at least an best artists are so frequently lured abroad. Honourable. C. True enough, and remember that we have seen C. Some rival scribblerwas your informant, no by no means the worst of the matter yet. I don't doubt. underrate the native resources of the great Anglo- A. Yes, I discoveredthat later, and the papermay Saxon communities scattered over the earth, but for go to Kn-owlesyet. i remembermost of it. It began a long while hence they will need to draw upon those with a definition- of older lands, especially the motherland, and the S. (izlterruAtig). Oh! for pity's sake! need inevitably tends to become more pressing, C. S. though rude, is right. We don't want the because capacity for the enjoyment of music spreads verbiage,give us the pith. with far greater facility than the power of making it. A. I declarethere's nopleasingyoufellows. Well, S. Take into account, also, the speed and comfort I pointedout, amongstother things, the diffusionof of modern travel. Were I offered an engagement music in the metropolis. Londoncan hardlybe said to-morrow I should think as little of a voyage to to have a musical centre any longer,or, rather,it Melbourne as, in the old days, was thought of a trip now has manycentres dotted about from Hampstead to N[argate. to Sydenham;from Richmondto Bow Piccadilly A . The Fates forbid the test, for the sake of possible Circusis only one of them, thoughthe chief. consequences to Melbourne. S. Truly, a wonderfulchange is goirlg on, as a

This content downloaded from 160.36.178.25 on Wed, 21 Oct 2015 11:55:36 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions I38 THE MUSICAL TIMES. MARCH I, I890. naturalresult of London'samazing expansion. The taste and acquirementsof the mass of the people, metropolisis not one but manycities. nothingcan be fartherfrom the truth. In Germany A. Yes, and there is nothingmore astonishing than you will hearmuch moreindifferent music and worse the measure of completenesswith which private executionthan in England,while whichis evenmore enterprisemeets the musicalwants of those manyr astonishing nobodyseems to be consciousof faults. cities. Let me give you an example. I went up to S. That reminds me. I was once in Hamburg SiouthHampstead the otherday, andheard Sullivan's , duringa meeting of the Germanmale-voice choirs, " Golden Legend" well performedin a fine hallI who, severalthousands strong, performed simple part- belongingto a Conservatoirethere. An excellentpro- * songs and such like. They were supportedby a fessionalorchestra, a good choir,connected with the strong militaryband stationed in the centre of the institution, and solo vocalists of merit, including mass, yet I heardone wing singing in one key, the Edward Lloyd! what do you think of that as a other wing singing in another,and the bandplaying sampleof local energy? I learnthat performancesof ^ in a third. The audience,nevertheless, listened with variouskinds are regularlyprovided on an equalscale perfectgravity and applaudedas though a triumph of efficiency. And this, observe,is only a specimen had been achieved. of multipliedarrangements which have caused central A. No doubt the general state of music in Ger- Londonto lose its musicalsignisScance. many-I am not referringto the high regions of C. It followsthat we mayno longerargue the state culture is an illustration of the proverb about a of musicin Londonby the attendanceat St. James's little knowledge,the danger of which, in this case, Hall. is one of acceptingits own limitationsas a ne plxs A. Undoubtedlywe may not, or, if we must, the ultra. inevitableconclusion is the reverse of encouraging. C. Is it your opinion that some such danger Yet I have read some jeremiadsof late concerningthreatens England ? the emptycondition of St. James's Hall at orchestral A. I certainlythink that in proportionas imperfect concertsand such like. knowledge, training, and taste become the vastly S. To my mind the complaintsin question are preponderatingelements in our musical body neithercauseless nor unproEtable. I grant all you corporatethe conditionis obviouslyone of risk. In say aboutthe gatheringof musicalinfluences around the old days when the art was cultivatedby a limited local centres, but it would never do to abolish St. class of personswho had the root of the matter in James's Hall taking that edifice as a convenientthem, and the leisure and means to cultivate it, embodimentof the highestmanifestations of the art. there was muchless cause for fear. Music has now A. I think I knowwhat you are driving at. You passedinto the handsof the democracy,who makeit have a fear lest a certainnote of provincialismshould satisfactoryto themselves. prevailunder the threateneddecentralisation. S. Don't exaggeratethe case, A. You must admit S. That's just it. Londonmusic must not fall a that goodmusic is often well received by our most victim to what I know as parochialism and it popularaudiences. certainlywill becomeparochial unless we keep flying A. I cheerfullyadmit it, as he needs must who fromSt. James'sHall a true imperialstandard. watches a People's Palace crowd listening to an C. Is it on this groundthat certain writersin the oratorio; but I see no less clearly an increasing presshave takenalarm of late ? dispositionto a Philistinecontent with poorstuS and S. The fact must be so. However,the mainpoint faultyperformances. is the diSusion about which A. threatens a paper. C. Well, what is to be done with the huge and We have got that for certain, thoughit may not be growingmass of elementaryknowledge and limited an unmixedgood, and a veryexcellent thing it is fora means? We cannotforce it to maturity. crowdof youngpeople in my profession. Every new A. No; but don't you think it might be taken in concert-centreestablished in Londonmeans for us hand and guided? engagements,opportunities, and fresh means of living. C. As how? C. But how as to the countrygenerally ? A. By men of yourownclass, let us say. Youcom- S. The same movementis going on, as I, who am posers don't recognise anythingbetween milk and always runningup and down the land, well know. strongmeat. Writingfor the massesyou perpetrate EverywhereI see diffusion,not merely of musical twaddle; writingfor the classes you think it neces- knowledge,but of public effort and responsibility.sary to propoundenigmas and utter dark sayings The Parish Schoolroomhas become a rival of the which only reveal their meaning, when they have Town Hall. any, to those who can get hold of your own key. C Canthis go on withoutlowering the standardof C. Stop,stop, that way contentionlies " the voice effic1ency? pardonme, I must revertto that subject. of argument and the sound of wordy war." I The parochialSchoolroom can neverequal the Town supposeyou mean that composersshould meet the Hall. present state of things with good music that, A. Your remark touches the border of a great besidesbeing good, is also simple and easily under- questionthat stretches far and wide. Does it not stood. strikeyou that the presentrapid diSusion of musical A. That's my meaning. knowledgeand practice,the wonderfulincrease in our S. Apropos, one of the shrewdest things done amateursingers and players,and the feverishdesire lately was the preparationfor choral societies with to be doing somethingin public,must tend, for the limited means of Cowen's Cantata " St. John's time being,to a generallowering of the standard? Eve." S. You mean that imperfectpowers of execution A. Yes, that exampleshould have followers. It and untrainedtaste, broughtto bear upon the art exactlyillustrates my case. Here you have a work by ever-increasingmultitudes of votaries, tend to which, as music, is good enough for anybody's dragmusic downto their own level. hearingand edilEcation,yet so plain of utteranceand A. That is precisely what I do mean. It just meaning that the wayfaringman, though a fool, occursto me that I can show you a strikingillustra- cannot err therein. tion. It is a commonbelief in England,as you know, S. You forget,A., that composersin these days that Germanyis pa excellence the land of music, and work chieflyby commissionfrom Festival managers, the ideais correctenough, as far as a certainacquaint- who, of course,require the highest exempliEcationof ance with the art goes. But with referenceto the the art.

This content downloaded from 160.36.178.25 on Wed, 21 Oct 2015 11:55:36 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES. MARCHI, I890. I39 A. I don'tforget it, but, as aSecting the matter of our talk, I lamentit. By all meanslet us have new ENCORES. worksof the highest class at Festivals; also let us FORtwo hundredyears the problemof encoreshas have new workswhich shall be at once good,unpre- exercisedthe mindof the musicalamateur, and if the tending,and easy. events of the last two monthsafford any criterion,it C. Than which there is nothing more diEcult to will continue insoluble to the end of time. The write. I wouldrather undertakean oratoriofull of practiceoriginated in Italy, as the originalform of moderncomplications than a simplemovement in the the expression made it clear-axcora. But in style of a MozartSonata. Addison'sand Pope's time it had already assumed A. The greaterthe credit of a successfulattempt. the Frenchform, though French audiences have long Anyhow, it must be very importantto have music since abandonedtheir vernacular for the Latin adverb modern in spirit and feeling brought within the bis. What a commentarythis is on the aSectation range of our noble army of half-formedamateurs, of borrowingfrom our neighbours! A writerin the who, failing suitable compositions,either attempt Globe ingeniously argues that the term cannot, at those which are beyondthem, and so disgustthem- any rate,be as old as Shakespeare,for that, otherwise, selves, or fall back upon the inane, wishy-washy Bottosx would have expressed himself differently stuffwhich the Press is continuallypouring into the when claiming the part of the lion, on the ground lowerregions of musicallife. that " he will roarso like a sucking-doveas to make S. It strikesme that composersare not alone con- his hearers exclaim, ' Let him roar again, let him cerned in bridgingthe gulf between extremesand roar again."' Anyhow, whatever the name, the establishing what I may call an intermediatecult. practiceis as old as Shakespeare aye, probablyas How aboutconcert-givers ? Is therenothing between old as Orpheus. The very flrstpublic performerwho balladsand the symphoniesof Brahms? ever had an audiencewas probablyanxious that he C. That is a good moveof Henschel's I meanthe shouldbe askedto repeathis solo. And if we- in the orchestralconcerts for young people he is about to plenitudeof our nineteenthcentury intelligenceare set on foot. disposedto ISndfault with singersand performers and S. An excellent case in point. Henschel calls audiences on the score of their encouragingand them concerts " for young people," but the word acquiescingin the "nuisance," let it be at least youngshould be taken as includingthe possessorof rememberedin extenuationof their guilt that the any undevelopedperceptiveness and taste. His con- great mastersof the art, fromBeethoven downwards, Xcertswill be, in fact, concertsfor the Undevelopedin so far from condemning,have- on the contrary orchestralthings. expressedtheir candidsatisfaction with the custom. A. The idea is certainlygood, and has, I am told, For, afterall, as one of the contributorsto the recent been practicallytested in Americawith satisfactory discussionforcibly puts it: " An encoreis the highest results. expressionof applause,and applauseis the breath of C. I anticipate much from them, as an experi- life to a public artist." Wagner and his followers ment; the morebecause ordinary orchestral concerts have undoubtedlydiscountenanced applause and recognisethe Undevelopedso imperfectlywhen they encores at the opera; but then the nature of the take noticeof them at all. That is to say, they cater Wagnerian music-dramais such that there is no for the educated,and are not, as regards others, room for either in the course of the performance. educational. Beethoven loved applause and so did Mozartand S. The point is, of course,to promoteintelligent Mendelssohn.If the greatstars of the musicalISrma- perceptionof the beautiesof a compositionby begin- mentwere so weakin the matter,how can we blame ning not at the end, but at the beginning. the tninorasidera for followingsuit ? C. Yes, and that fact should be recognised by The controversywas startedby a trenchantletter writers of annotatedprogrammes, who, too often, fromMr. Sims Reeves in the columnsof the Daxly address the initiated only; using terms which the Grathic, in which the famous tenor begs the uninitiatedcannot understand,and assumingknow- wholequestion at the startby speakingof the " vicious ledge which they don'tpossess. encoresystem." As we hopeto showpresently, there A. It may be we shall ISndthat considerationnot are encoresand encores-some vicious,some just the overlooked. It is too obviousto escapenotice. reverse. Mr. Sims Reeves, however,has no sym- C. To my mind,the fact that ourprogrammeanno- pathy with the system in any shape, although he tations assumethe possessionof so much knowledge admitsthat " its inceptionwas commendable."In and intelligence is typical. Are we not all, com- his opinion," It is now little short of a publicoffence, posers,concert-givers, artists alike-are we not all and has becomethe fruitfulsource from which many workingwith an apprehensiveeye uponthe critic?- evils flow." Mr. Reevesproceeds to contendthat an I don't mean the professionalcritic specially, but, encoreis generallydemanded by a smalland refractory generally,the man who knows. minority,to whomthe majorityyield out of desirefor S. It is as though a teacher giving a lesson a quiet life, and a fearlest their protestmight be con- addressedhimself to the intelligence of the head struedas a slight upon the performer. He declares boy instead of being guided by the capacity of the furtherthat the encoresystem exemplilSes the " utter boy at the other end. want of considerationthe public displaytowards the C. Somethinglike that. performer";but his chief argumentis one which has A. Now, what is the upshot of our discussion? nothingto do with the heart, but the pocket. To Are we to consider it as establishedthat the great sanctionan encore-so he puts it is dishonestand and increasingdiffusion of music is setting up new fraudulenton the partof anentretrenemr, for by so doing conditionsof corporate musical life which require he gets moreout of his performersthan they bargained new measuresto meet them? for. And it is " obstinateand mean" on the part of C. There cannot,I think, be any doubtabout it. the audienceto force artists to do just doublewhat S. Nor that the geniusof music must stoop some- they have undertaken. He lays stress on the fact what on occasion, and lend the Undeveloped a that substitution,not iteration,is what they chiefly guidinghand. aim at, and the noisy welcomeaccorded to the substi- A. Yes; wanting to see the people on a higher tutionof a new song altogethershows palpablythat level, she should,at least, let downa Iadder. the encore-mongers" go for quantityrather than for quality of the music." And he continues as

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