Criticism of Mendelssohn Author(s): A. Ford Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 52, No. 817 (Mar. 1, 1911), pp. 176+182 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/906393 Accessed: 19-03-2016 04:55 UTC

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This content downloaded from 194.27.18.18 on Sat, 19 Mar 2016 04:55:22 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 176 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MARCH I, 1911.

THE NATIONALITY OF FOLK-SONGS. Steinhiusen and Breithiupt, were particularly inter-

esting. It is true that Breith1iupt pleads for a tech-

TO THE EDITOR OF ' THE MUSICAL TIMES.'

nique more in accordance with natural physiological

conditions, and as a pupil of his I would like to bear SIR,-Mr. James A. Browne's letter under the above

testimony to his success in obtaining this object. title must not be allowed to pass unnoticed. Forsooth,

As Professor Niecks pointed out, finger and wrist the argument as to the nationality of an air, whether

gymnastics were formerly the beginning and end of English, Irish, or Scotch, is 'very stupid'! Dr.

the technique of pianoforte-playing. In Breithdiupt's Ernest Walker rightly says that ' the popular tunes of

technique the upper arms and shoulders are the sup- England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland have their

pliers of energy, the forearms and hands merely the own broadly racial characteristics,' and he adds that

conductors of it. It is not strictly the case that ' the finest melodies of each race, bear upon them un-

Breithiupt sets aside finger work. What he urges mistakable signs of their origin. Were I to say that

is that 'all active isolated fingering-i.e., all finger Irish folk-music ' is, on the whole, the finest that exists,'

spreading, over-stretching, clutching, pawing without it might be put down to my patriotic leanings, but this

participation of the weight of hand or arm, with stiff statement is due to Dr. Walker, who also tells us that

wrist or forearm-must be abandoned.' As the 'for sheer beauty of melody the works of Mozart,

foundation of pianoforte-technique, Breithiupt pleads Schubert, and the Irish folk-composers form a triad

for the free, elastic, natural rhythmic movement of the that is unchallenged in the whole range of the art.'

combined playing-organs (shoulders, arms, hands, Again, Mr. Browne states that the songs of Ophelia

fingers). 'were entirely traditional until about the end of the

By this change in technique important advantages 18th century, when Mr. Linley took them down as they

are gained. It not only places greater possibilities, in were sung by Miss Field, and Dr. Arnold noted them

a strictly musical sense, within the reach of the musi from the singing of Miss Jordan.' This statement is

cian, but it also is a complete prevention of the muscular at variance with facts. One of Ophelia's folk-songs

fatigue and pain that give so much trouble to pianists was set by two distinguished Elizabethan composers,

who pursue the prevailing method of 'finger and wrist' namely, by Giles Farnaby, Mus. Bac., about the year

technique. The fatigue and pain arise mainly from

1590, and by John Mundy, Mus. Doc., about the year

the tightening and cramping of the muscles of the 1595-both of which are to be found in the Fitzwilliam

hand and forearm involved in the old system. For Virginal Book.

this system of rigid muscle substitute the technique May I remind Mr. Browne that the fact of the airs

urged by Breithaiupt, and all risk of the players' being taken down in England or Wales or Scotland

trouble disappears. or Ireland does not altogether obscure their original

An instance of this has come within my own ex- provenance, and the diligent student of folk-music will

perience. A young lady friend of mine, who had for soon recognize the racial characteristics of the air even

years pursued pianoforte playing on the old system in a varied guise. Fortunately, a number of old Irish

with considerable success, was, two and a half years ago MS. songs and ballads in the Irish language have the

seized by severe fatigue and pain in the muscles of the names of the tunes added, and thus we have a clue,

left forearm. Amongst others she consulted a leading in addition to tradition.-Yours faithfully,

Edinburgh physician, but nothing could be done, and W. H. GRATTAN FLOOD.

ultimately she had entirely to abandon playing.

Getting to learn of the Breithiupt technique, she took

THE STUDY OF RHYTHM.

a three-months' course of instruction in that method,

TO THE EDITOR OF 'THE MUSICAL TIMES.' and is now able to play with the greatest ease and

SIR,-It is evident that Dr. Yorke Trotter fails to without the slightest pain or fatigue, even though

grasp the 'inwardness' of Greek rhythmical theory practising three or four hours a day. Imagine my

as much as I fail to understand his reference to 'the friend's delight at thus being able to resume her

fallacy of the division of motion.' I have nowhere favourite pastime !-I am, &c.,

found any attempt to divide abstract 'motion' in BREITHXiUPT PUPIL.

Greek theory; on the contrary, Aristoxenus is very Edinburgh.

explicit in stating that rhythm cannot exist without

some material, whether sound (as in music), bodily

A CHANT BY GOSS. movements (as in the dance), or speech (as in poetry),

through which it can act. And rhythm consists of

TO THE EDITOR OF ' THE MUSICAL TIMES.'

the division of the time occupied by one of these materials,

by means of arsis and thesis. The combination of DEAR SIR,-In the Musical Times for July, 19o5,

arsis and thesis forms a foot, or measure, and the page 457, in your article on 'Great Composers and

combination of several feet form a rhythm. All Chants,' there is the following statement: 'Goss

music must have a rhythmical basis, though the arranged a double chant in F sharp minor from a sub-

composer may obscure the arsis and thesis occasionally, ject by Jeremiah Clark, the origin of which is not at

for a definite object. present traceable.' Not having seen this point

I do not understand Dr. Yorke Trotter's allusion cleared up in the Musical Times since the article in

to 'pauses.' A pause (fermate) serves to break the question appeared, I venture now to do so for you.

rhythmical flow. Does Dr. Trotter propose to break The chant in question, which, I take it, is No. 194

up Beethoven's beautiful rhythm by placing a pause in the Westminster Abbey Chant Book, is evidently

at the end of every measure ? If this is to be the adapted from Clarke's hymn tune 'King's Norton,'

result of Greek theory, then, like him, I would have No. 226, in Dr. Wesley's ' European Psalmist.'-Believe

none of it !-Yours faithfully, me, yours faithfully,

C. F. ABDY WILLIAMS. (REV.) T. P. LEVETT.

PIANOFORTE TECHNIQUE.

CRITICISM OF MENDELSSOHN.

TO THE EDITOR OF ' THE MUSICAL TIMES.'

TO THE EDITOR OF ' THE MUSICAL TIMES.'

SIR,-Will you kindly give me a little space to make

SIR,-Lovers of the gracious and delicious strains reference to the interesting paper on ' New ideas and

of Mendelssohn at his best have been bearing in much ideals of music-teaching' read by Professor Niecks at

patience, for years now, a constantly growing load. the recent Edinburgh Conference of the Incorporated

But the silence of one at least of these breaks down Society of Musicians and reported in your February

beneath the proverbial last straw, as embodied in several issue? Professor Niecks's observations on the tech-

nique of pianoforte-playing, as promulgated by (Continueca o z Aage 182.)

This content downloaded from 194.27.18.18 on Sat, 19 Mar 2016 04:55:22 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 182 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MARCH I, 1911.

(Continuedfrom page 176.)

RIGOLETTO ...... Verdi

of the most recent of the sneering allusions made by SONNAMBULA .. .. Bellini

more than one critic, in more than one paper or maga- TESS Erlanger

zine, to that master. With such writers, the name TOSCA Puccini

that stands for something like the nadir of achieve- TRAVIATA ...... Verdi

ment (I speak of quality) in musical composition-the GLI UGONOTTI ...... Meyerbeer

name to be pitched on as a foil to that of either of the GERMANIA ...... Franchetti

acknowledged giants-seems to be that of the com-

poser of the music to the 'Midsummer night's Dream ' The season will open on April 22, and continue

-of the Pianoforte trio in D minor-of 'Hear ye, until July 29.

Israel' and the Sanctus in 'Elijah,' of at least two

truly noble Organ sonatas, and so much else of equal

beauty. 'PELLEAS AND MELISANDE.'

What, exactly, is the idea-one would like to learn-

BY ARNOLD SCHONBERG. of some critics, in making a point, not only of never

giving necessary mention to Mendelssohn without a

(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) sneer, but of going out of their way to drag in his name

for the purpose of bestowing that sneer ? Is it that

This time in writing of 'Pelle'as' there will be no their distaste for him, alone among the greater com-

question of Debussy. The musical expression of the posers, demands the relief of these little ebullitions ?

now familiar story is not exhausted by one version- -or is it merely that it is less trouble to shoot at that

in fact, one might wish that every capable composer ever-handy target than to select a fresh one ?-I am,

would give his interpretation of this poem, as Heine

Sir, yours faithfully,

said that every poet should write a ' Faust.' A second

A. FORD.

composer of unusual ability has taken Pell6as as

Hampstead Heath.

pretext for a. symphonic poem.

Arnold Sch6nberg is now thirty-six years of age

and is still unknown to Grove. He is the composer

@bituarV. of several groups of Lieder, two String quartets,

and of more important works-a ' Kammer sinfonie,' a

We regret to have to record the following deaths: sextet for string instruments, 'Verkldrte Nacht '

HENRY JOHN TSCHUDI BROADWOOD, head of the (after Dehinel), and the present work, 'Pelleas and

firm of John Broadwood & Sons. He was born in M61isande.' Most of these compositions have scarcely

1852, and was educated at Eton and Cambridge. He been performed outside Vienna, where each in turn

invented the barless steel pianoforte- frame about. has received a welcome 'de scandale.' This is the

twenty years ago. best of signs, as Vienna has accorded the same reception

to all its great musicians during the last hundred AUGUSTUS HAYTER WALKER, Mus. Doc., London,

years, from Beethoven to Mahler. Sch6nberg had who died at Cambridge on February I3.

no difficulty in gaining the support of men who are

ELIZABETH ROBINSON, who died at Seacombe,

both artists and musicians, such as Prof. Arnold Ros6

Cheshire, on February 12. She was known as a pianist

and Oscar Fried, who have worked for Sch6nberg by of exceptional gifts.

playing his works.

WILHELM BERGER, at . lie was born of German

Fried conducted ' Pellas' at a recent concert of parents at Boston, U.S.A., on August 9, 1861. Since

the 'Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde' for the first

1903 he had held the post of conductor of the

time in Berlin. It is Op. 5, but, as it is preceded

Court orchestra, formerly held by Hans von Biilow

only by lieder, ranks among the larger works as

and . He was well known as a com-

Op. I. It is written for the usual orchestra with

poser of symphonies, smaller orchestral works, choral

quadruple wood-wind, eight horns, and the rest in

compositions, songs and pianoforte pieces, including an

proportion. It lasts fifty minutes. The work is

excellent Sonata in B major.

divided roughly according to the play, and one may

WILLIAM H. SHERWOOD, the well-known American

recognize the figures of Pell6as, M6lisande, Goland, and

pianist, at Chicago, fifty-seven years of age.

Yaiold; and also certain scenes-in the forest, at

the fountain, at the window, in the ' souterrains,' the

final love-scene, and the death of M61isande.

THE ROYAL OPERA, COVENT GARDEN. Of Sch6nberg's musical skill it is difficult for me

to speak without exaggeration. To those who are

The following works have been promised for per-

not accustomed to hear music, his scores seem mon- formance during the coming Grand Opera Season at

strous. But really they are complicated only in

Covent Garden:

appearance. In performance the style is perfectly

FRENCH. clear. Perhaps the principal characteristic of this

style, and musically its greatest novelty, lies in the CARMEN ...... Bizet

FAUST ...... Gounod masterly modelling of the part-writing. Apparently

each part is absolutely independent of the others. LOUISE ... Charpentier

It is in their interweaving that Sch6nberg's extra PELLEAS ET MELISANDE Debussy

ordinary sense of the value of line combinations is ROMiO ET JULIETTE .. Gounod

realized. The art with which each part is put into SAMSON ET DALILA .. .. Saint-Sains

relief is consummate. Sch6nberg has discovered a THXIS ...... Massenet

new meaning in counterpoint which makes, with that

ITALIAN.

of Strauss, the only musical development of this art

A'iDA ...... Verdi since Wagner. The strength of it lies in the certainty

IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA .. Rossini in the handling of the themes. Even his farthest-

BOHME ...... Puccini sought effects-such as the trombone glissando in

CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA Mascagni Pelleas-are got in the simplest possible way, and

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST Puccini never interrupt or attract attention from the general

LAKME . .. D61ibes movement of the music. At the same time the work

LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR .. Donizetti stands large and distinct to the last detail, a sign that

MADAMA BUTTERFLY .. Puccini Sch6nberg's invention is strong enough to include

MANON LESCAUT...... Puccini unity of impression. The wonderful colour which

PAGLIACCI...... Leoncavallo Sch6nberg obtains through the interweaving of

This content downloaded from 194.27.18.18 on Sat, 19 Mar 2016 04:55:22 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions