7 6 TH E ETUD E MAKERS OF MUSIC : BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE GREAT COMPOSERS. By R. FARQU-HARSON SHARP. Importe d b y CHAS. SCRIBNER'S SONS. Price, $1.75. As indicated by the title, this is a book of biography, and includes the celebrities from Bach to Grieg, and is illustrated by portraits, facsimiles of autographs and music manuscripts, and chronological summaries of the works of each composer, making in all a very handy book. The biographical matter is written in an inter-esting manner. JOHN SULLIVAN DWIGHT, BROOK FARMER, EDITOR, AND CRITIC OF MUSIC. A Biography b y GEORGE WILLI S COOKB. SMALL, MAYNAR D & Co . The name of this Nestor of American music calls up the great part of the history of American music. His 4'Journal of Music/' the first number of which was dated April 10, 1852, was a pioneer in its chosen field, and he made it an educational power in securing a just recog-nition of the claims of music as an art. In his time every one looked to him for the right interpretation of music, and musicians trusted him as sincerely as did the general public. His connection with the 1' Brook Farm'' experiment of course has no direct interest to the musician, but his social and literary relations made up the individuality of the man, and one must know them in order to under-stand what forces contributed to direct the trend of his musical judgment. He was an intimate friend of Long-fellow, Hawthorne, Lowell, and Holmes. B Y TH E WAY : ABOU T MUSI C AN D MUSICIANS . B y WILLIA M FOSTER APTHORP. 2 vols . COPELAND & DAY. $1.50. The name of Mr. Apthorp is familiar to all our readers from his work as a critic and writer on musical subjects. In 1892 he accepted the editorship of the analytical programs for the concerts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, then under the directorship of Mr. Arthur Nikisch. All the readers of these program-.books will recall the department to which the name 11 Entr'acte'' had been given. In this department the editor was allowed free course to include anything that he considered would be of musical interest to the audience, whether relevant to the particular concert at hand or not. The contents of the two volumes men-tioned above are made up of selections from these " Entr'actes," covering a period of five years, up to 1897. The first volume is called "About Music." The best way to give some idea of the character of the book is to quote headings. Here are some : Form, Impressionism, Music and the Eye, Some Points in Modern Orchestra-tion, Medicinal Music, The Non-musician's Enjoyment of Music, Musical Slips. The second volume is called "Abou t Musicians." In this volume are a number of interesting anecdotes of musical celebrities. "About Art in General" contains some very useful thoughts on the subject of the canons of art and on culture. It is a book for the library of the musician who seeks a wide variety in the contents of a single work. TH E MUSI C DRAMA S O F RICHAR D WAGNE R AN D HI S FESTIVA L THEATE R I N BAYREUTH . B y ALBERT LAYIGNAC. DODD, MEA D & Co . $2.50. The author is a member of the faculty of the Conser-vatoire at Paris, and in the preface says that his aim has been to prepare a book for those Frenchmen who have not made the pilgrimage to Bayreuth, to indicate the frame of mind in which the trip should be undertaken, with suggestions as to preliminary studies; in all, a program just as useful for American music lovers. The first chapter, 1' Life in Bayreuth,'' explains the city and the conditions which maintain during the festival period ; then follows a short biographical sketch of Wagner, with an account of the construction of the "Temple of Art," as some call the Bayreuth Theater, built especially to furnish a place for the ideal represen-tation of Richard Wagner's great dramatic works. The main portion of the book, nearly 400 pages, is devoted to an analysis of the poems and music of the music dramas of Wagner, telling the stories and giving special care to a presentation of the theories which the com-poser advocated and the manner in which he developed these theories in his works. All the leading motives and arias are illustrated by musical examples, and care-fully analyzed. The final chapter, on'1 Interpretation,'' forms a fitting close to this book, which is a distinct con-tribution to the Wagnerian literature. A bibliography of works in the French language bearing on Wagner is also included. A LOVING-CUP TO DR. MASON. ON the seventieth anniversary of his birthday Dr. William Mason was presented with a costly loving-cup by his pupils. The committee having the presentation in charge consisted of E. M. Bowman, chairman; Madame Julia Rive-King, Nahum Stetson,and Samuel S. Sanford. The idea originated with Mr. Bowman, whose studio in Steinway Hall joins Dr. Mason's, a most inti-mate and trusted friend and pupil, working hand-in-hand with him for the propagation of the Mason system. The presentation had to be kept a profound secret in order not to be defeated by the certain protestations of the modest recipient. Consequently only those pupils participated in the gift of the loving-cup whose names and addresses could be discovered without arousing his suspicions. An address, however, written by Richard Watson Gilder, editor of the "Century," was presented, to which was attached the autographs of all these, and to which may yet be added the autographs of all the rest of his pupils who wish to congratulate him on the com-pletion of his three score years and ten. A congratu-latory letter may be sent directly to Dr. Mason, Steinway Hall, New York, or the autograph to E. M. Bowman, chairman of the committee, who will see that it is added to the address. No further subscriptions are needed. The ceremonies of presentation were informal, but very pretty and successful. The pupils and a few friends, to the number of seventy-five, gathered at four o'clock, on Tuesday, January 24th, in the art-room at Steinway Hall, and the committee, by subterfuge, got the guest down from his studio, where he had been giv-ing his usual lessons. When he entered the room he found himself surrounded by many whom he had not seen for years, among them the very first pupil to whom he had given lessons in New York. The first greetings over, Mr. Bowman escorted the guest to the seat of honor between busts of Beethoven and Liszt, on high pedestals, his ideal and his master, and, indeed, the suggestion of his musical pedigree, for Beethoven taught Czerny, Czerny taught Liszt, and Liszt taught Mason. The busts were decorated with victors' wreaths of laurel, and a similar and very beauti-ful wreath was suspended directly over Dr. Mason's head. In front of him a miniature mountain, symbol-izing the struggle of life, had been fashioned, and this was covered with laurel and smilax and studded with roses. On the summit, in a bed of laurel, stood the loving-cup, and in it a superb bunch of red carnations, the Doctor's favorite flower and color. Mr. Bowman made the presentation on behalf of the pupils, and among other things he said : " ' Where thou (to Dr. M.) goest we will go, where thou lodgest we will lodge.'" Dr. Mason was deeply touched by this expression of the love and gratitude of his pupils and the evident sincerity which had prompted the gift and the good wishes which went with it. He controlled his emotions with difficulty and made a most gracious and expressive response. Then, at the enthusiastic request of all present, he went to a piano at the other end of the beautiful art room and played his "Silver Spring" and " Spring Dawn " with the same touch and incom-parable expression which have always characterized his performances. Mr. Chas. F. Tretbar, the senior mem-ber of Steinway & Sons, then stepped forward and in a graceful speech, voicing the high regard of the house of Steinway and their appreciation of Dr. Mason's loyalty to his ideals and his unswerving honesty of purpose, presented him the Grand piano on which he had so de-lightfully played. This was surprise number two. After the words of acceptance Dr. Mason played again, this time his " Serenata," a piece that has won great popu-larity. Altogether it was a happy occasion, and no compli-ment was ever more worthily bestowed than this to one who has done so much for the American music lover, musician, and teacher. May he enjoy many happy years of useful activity ! E. M. BOWMAN. WHAT A COMPOSITION MEANS. BY G. P. ANDELFINGER. A FEW years ago a famous French composer published a piano piece which proved unusually popular, and im-mediately every one who could play—and some who couldn't—added the composition to his repertoire of available program pieces. I first heard it played at a concert in Germany, by a pupil of the composer, whose rendition was dainty, capricious, and fascinating, stirring the audience to great enthusiasm. Naturally, that interpretation, origi-nating, as I supposed, with the composer, came to be my ideal; and when I studied the piece later, I strove to gain the same effects in the same way. Not long afterward, in conversation with a musical friend, that particular composition came up for discus-sion, and he sat down at the piano with the remark, " This is my idea of it ; what do you think? " Then followed a rendition almost diametrically opposite to the one I had heard. As we were good friends, I did not hesitate to state my objections to his interpretation, with my reasons ; but imagine my surprise when he an-swered, " But my version is that of the composer, for A took lessons of her, and A told B, and I heard B play it." This little conversation set me to thinking. Could it be possible that the same piece was the embodiment of two distinct ideas, or had the mental condition of the performer at different times so tinged the music as to produce two distinct results? Following the suggestion still further, How much of the meaning of a musical composition depends on the point of view— the condition of mental receptivity of the listener ? In this particular case the title seemed to me to allow of only one idea, but I found that my conception of the "one idea " differed widely from that of Mr. A and Mr. B, and so on through the catalogue. Who, then, is to be the final authority? Not the composer, certainly, unless each one can get the "artist's proof" of interpretation, for my little experience proved that an interpretation, even thrice removed, had grown and changed as much as the proverbial "Black Crow Story." No two people look at a picture or read a book with the same emotions ; and what is true of art and literature holds good in music. No two people can give the same interpretation to a musical composition, unless one of them has his imitative faculty unusually well developed. And yet the picture, the book, the music itself, does not change. The performer has the title to indicate to him the character of his work ; he has also the little musical sign-posts, put in by the composer to guide him along his path ; but beyond that, the interpretation must be the result of individuality. The notes alone, the music uninterpreted, are only musical anatomy and physiol-ogy ; the rendering belongs to musical psychology. Interpretation is not a simple thing ; it is a composite photograph of the original thought and the ideas of the performer, retouched by the mentality and spirituality of the listener and player at the time of playing. If the subject-matter is worthy, be respectful in your treatment of it. Avoid parrot-like imitation, but let intelligence and thought moderate your individuality.
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