Music: An Art and a Language Part 19

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With equal felicity does he create the picture of the delicate, graceful Sylphs. Any boisterous rhythmic activity would be quite out of place; and so, above a sustained ground tone on muted 'cellos and ba.s.ses (which continues through the piece), and the slightest suspicion of motion on the second violins and violas, there floats in the first violins one of the most perfectly rounded and exquisite melodies in existence, _e.g._

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In the closing measures there is a charming shadowy dialogue between kettle-drums (struck with sponge-headed sticks) and harps, in harmonics, carrying out Berlioz's stage directions--"Les esprits de l'air se balancent quelque temps autour de Faust endormi et disparaissent peu a peu." The piece ends with a chord barely whispered on the clarinets, _pppp_, which, as Hadow aptly suggests, reminds us of vanis.h.i.+ng soap bubbles.

Berlioz's most sustained and perfect work, both in content and treatment, is universally acknowledged to be the _Harold en Italie_ Symphony[236] in four movements for full orchestra and solo viola.

There is little actual correspondence between the scenes of Byron's poem and the musical portrayal; and in fact, as Liszt says, "The t.i.tle clearly shows that the composer wished to render the impression which the magnificent nature of Italy could not fail to make on a soul such as that of Harold languis.h.i.+ng in sorrow." The significant features of the work are the melody for solo viola, recurring[237] in each movement, which typifies Harold--that "melancholy dreamer," _e.g._,

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and the dazzling sensationalism of the Finale (Orgy of Brigands) which, when it was once played "con amore" by a fine orchestra, called forth from Berlioz the following eulogy,--"Sublime! I thank you, gentlemen, and I wonder at you; you are perfect brigands." The finale is also notable in that the opening portion is a reminiscence, a pa.s.sing in review, of the chief themes of the preceding movements.

Berlioz, we may surmise, was following the precedent established by Beethoven in the finale of the _Ninth Symphony_, and, although his treatment is rather mechanical and lacking in any such dramatic logic as justified Beethoven, a certain organic connection between the movements is undoubtedly secured. A portion of the second movement, _March of Pilgrims_ singing the evening prayer, is cited in the Supplement (See No. 58) chiefly because it is one of Berlioz's n.o.blest inspirations, giving an eloquent picture of a procession approaching, pa.s.sing by and losing itself in the distance--a long crescendo and diminuendo. At every eighth measure the March melody is interrupted by the m.u.f.fled chant of the pilgrims, very effectively scored for bra.s.s instruments, pianissimo. In the middle of the piece a contrast is gained by the introduction of a religious chant. The closing measures of this movement are of haunting beauty--a mysterious effect being produced by an intentional mixture of tonalities (the sustained B in the flute and oboe being answered by a C on the horns and harp, while beneath are heard fragments of the March theme in the main key on the pizzicato double ba.s.ses).[238] Berlioz's most pretentious orchestral composition is that called in the full t.i.tle "Romeo and Juliet, dramatic symphony, with choruses, vocal solos, and a prologue in choral recitative, composed after Shakespeare's tragedy."

Notwithstanding many touches of genius, it is a very uneven work and is too much a conglomerate of styles--narrative, lyrical, dramatic, theatric and symphonic--for the constructive ability of the author to weld into a living whole. There are several portions which, however n.o.ble and glorious may have been Berlioz's conception,[239] and however inspired by Shakespeare's genius, do not "come off." Two of the numbers, on the other hand, are worthy of the highest praise--the _Love Scene_ and the _Queen Mab Scherzo_. Of the latter Saint-Saens writes--"The famous Scherzo is worth even more than its reputation. It is a miracle of lightness and gracefulness. Beside such delicacies and transparencies the _finesses_ of Mendelssohn in the _Midsummer Night's Dream_ seem heavy." The main theme is fascinating in its daintiness and sparkle, _e.g._

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Berlioz considered the _Love Scene_ his finest inspiration and there are few pieces comparable with it for pa.s.sionate utterance. The orchestration is wonderful for richness and variety.[240]

[Footnote 236: For an extended a.n.a.lysis of the work and also for an account of the alleged connection of the virtuoso Paganini with its composition, see the essay in Niecks' _Program Music_. There are, in addition, interesting comments in _Stories of Symphonic Music_ by Lawrence Gilman.]

[Footnote 237: An early example of the modern principle of transformation and transference by theme.]

[Footnote 238: A striking ill.u.s.tration of "a.s.sociation of ideas" may be gained from a comparison of the end of this movement with the closing measures of Strauss's _Thus Spake Zarathustra_; it seems incredible that Strauss did not have Berlioz's effect in his mind.]

[Footnote 239: See the _Memoires_ for a rhapsodic account of his state of mind at this time--"basking in the warm rays of Shakespeare's imagination and believing it in his power to arrive at the marvellous island where rises the temple of pure Art."]

[Footnote 240: For extended comments and a long citation of the actual music see the Sixth Volume of the _Oxford History of Music_.]

After a careful study of the foregoing examples the reader, we hope, is in a position to make a fair estimate of Berlioz's power and to realize his great significance. It should be understood that this music is intensely subjective and so requires a sympathetic and cultivated att.i.tude on the part of the listener. To the writer at least, there remains one vital lack in Berlioz's music,--that of the _dissonant element_. It often seems as if his conceptions could not be fully realized for want of sheer musical equipment, largely due to insufficient early training. For what is music without dissonance?

Surely "flat, stale and unprofitable" even if, in Berlioz's case, this deficiency is offset by great rhythmic vitality and gorgeous color.

Yet in his best works[241] there is such a strong note of individuality, indeed such real character, that they are deserving of sincere respect and admiration, although by everybody they may not be deeply loved. We should, furthermore, always remember that, if Berlioz's poverty of harmonic effect is sometimes annoying, he never falls into the humdrum ruts of those who have had a stereotyped academic training. His genius was unhampered by any conventional harmonic vocabulary, and hence it could always express itself freely.

That he was a real genius no one can fairly doubt.

[Footnote 241: For valuable a.n.a.lytical comments on Berlioz's orchestral style see Vol. VIII, Chapter X, of the _Art of Music_ (Cesar Saerchinger, N.Y.), and for biographical details and matters of general import, Vol. II, Chap. IX.]

All the qualities which have been enumerated as typical of the romantic temperament: warmth of sentiment, broad culture, love of color and the sensuous side of music, freedom of form, and stress laid on the orchestra as the most eloquent means of expression, reach their climax in Franz Liszt (1811-1886). Born near Vienna of a Hungarian father and a German mother, but chiefly a.s.sociated with Paris, Weimar, Budapest and Rome, he is certainly the most picturesque and versatile figure in the music of the 19th century; for he worked and won fame as a pianoforte virtuoso--probably the greatest the world has known--as a prolific composer for pianoforte, orchestra and voice, as a teacher, conductor and man of letters, and withal spent a large part of his time, strength and fortune in helping young artists and in producing works which otherwise might never have seen the light. His life is of constant and varied interest, so spectacular at times that it seems like a fairy tale.[242] As a mere boy he began to receive adulation for his precocity; at the height of his career he was loaded with honors and wealth; in his old age he was a favorite with everyone of distinction and influence in France, Germany, England and Italy.

Nevertheless he preserved, throughout, the integrity of his character and the n.o.bility of his disposition. Whatever may be the final estimate of his powers as a creative artist, as a man he has earned nothing but eulogy;[243] for seldom has any one been freer from the faults of vanity, petty jealousy and envy which so often mar the artistic temperament. Liszt's generous encouragement and financial support of Wagner in the struggling days of his unpopularity have never been surpa.s.sed in the brotherhood of art.

[Footnote 242: The best biographies in English are the one by Huneker and that in Vol. 2 of Grove's Dictionary.]

[Footnote 243: For a lively description of his influence as a pianoforte teacher see _Music Study in Germany_ by Amy Fay.]

Liszt is akin to Berlioz in many respects; we feel the same natural tendency to derive musical inspiration from external sources, poetic, pictorial or from the realm of Nature. Purely as a musician, however, Liszt was far greater, with a wider vocabulary and more power in thematic development. His work also is somewhat uneven; moments of real beauty alternating with pa.s.sages which are trivial, bombastic or mere lifeless padding. When we bear in mind Liszt's unparalleled versatility, his output in quant.i.ty and variety is so amazing--there being well over 1,000 works of about every kind--that it is unfair to expect the style to be as finely wrought as the original conception is n.o.ble. A serious and unbiased study of his best compositions will convince one that Liszt is ent.i.tled to high rank as a musician of genuine poetic inspiration. The average music-lover is p.r.o.ne to dwell upon him as the composer of _Les Preludes_, the _Hungarian Rhapsodies_, and as the somewhat flashy transcriber of operatic potpourris, such as the _Rigoletto Fantasie_. But _Les Preludes_, notwithstanding a certain charm and the clever manner in which the music (without becoming minutely descriptive) supplements the poem of Lamartine, is yet barred from the first rank by its mawkishness of sentiment and by its cloying harmonies. The most significant among the symphonic poems are _Orpheus_ with its characteristic crescendos and diminuendos; _Ta.s.so_ of great n.o.bility and pathos, and _Mazeppa_, a veritable tour de force of descriptive writing. To hear any one of these masterpieces can not fail to alter the opinion of those who may have considered Liszt as exclusively given over to sensational effects. As for the _Hungarian Rhapsodies_, which Liszt intended as a kind of national ballade and so, for the basic themes and rhythms, drew largely on Hungarian Folk music, here again the public, with its fondness for being dazzled, has laid exclusive stress on the flashy ones to the detriment of those containing much that is n.o.ble and of enduring worth. In his transcriptions of standard songs Liszt did as valuable a public service as any popularizer, and has thereby made familiar the melodies of Schubert and Schumann to hundreds who otherwise would know nothing of them. In considering Liszt's pianoforte works we must remember that he was a born virtuoso with a natural fondness for exploiting the possibilities of his instrument, and with an amazing technique as a performer. When the sincerity of a composer is in question there is a great difference as to what should be the standard of judgment, whether the work be for orchestra or for pianoforte. In writing for orchestra the composer naturally centres himself on the pure ideas and their treatment, as the execution is something entirely external to himself. In works for pianoforte, however, the composer who is also a virtuoso will often, and quite justifiably, introduce pa.s.sages of purely pianistic effect which in other circ.u.mstances would amount to a confession of deficient imagination. That Liszt at times abused his facility in decoration need not be gainsaid, and yet how poetic and eloquent are his best pianoforte compositions!--the _etudes_, the _Waldesrauschen_, the _Ballade_ and, above all, the _Sonata in B minor_.[244] Much unjust criticism has been expended upon Liszt for treating the pianoforte like an orchestra. As a matter of fact he widened, in a perfectly legitimate way, the possibilities of the instrument as to sonority, wealth and variety of color-effect. According to the testimony of contemporary colleagues, Rubinstein, Taussig and von Bulow who, had they not been convinced of his supremacy, might well have been jealous, Liszt was incontestably the greatest interpreter of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin; and his power as a Beethoven scholar is attested by the poetically annotated edition of the Sonatas. It is often a.s.serted that Liszt lacked spontaneous melodic invention. This is a hard saying unless taken in a relative sense. We may grant that Liszt was neither a Schubert nor a Mozart, and yet recognize in his works some extremely haunting melodies. His creative power was acknowledged by Wagner and in a very practical manner. In fact, after a comparative study of their works, one is amazed at the number of melodies which Wagner borrowed from Liszt and at the generous complaisance of the latter. The reactive influence of Liszt and Wagner, each upon the other, is an interesting chapter in the development of modern art.

Liszt was undoubtedly encouraged in his revolutionary aims by Wagner's fiery courage. Wagner, on his side, owed much to Liszt's unselfish generosity; and with his more powerful constructive gifts worked up into enduring form motives which, internal evidence clearly shows, came from Liszt himself.

[Footnote 244: For a most entertaining description of this work see the Huneker Biography, pp. 64-70.]

Just a few closing words as to Liszt's specific contributions to the expansion of musical structure. He was an advanced leader in the "program school," being endowed with considerably more constructive power than Berlioz, who often fell between two stools: in that while his subject demanded the freest treatment, he lacked the vigor to break away from the formal routine of his cla.s.sic models. In Liszt's orchestral works, however, the term "Symphonic Poem"--one of his own invention--is fully justified, _i.e._, they are _symphonic_ in that they have organic unity, although this is not attained by preserving the cla.s.sic number and arrangement of themes; and they are also _poetic_, being not a presentation of abstract tone patterns, but ill.u.s.trative of some external idea which shapes the course of the music entirely to its own needs.[245] The distinguis.h.i.+ng quality of the Symphonic Poem is its unbroken continuity. Although objective points are reached, and while there are broad lines of demarcation with reference to the varied moods of the poem to be ill.u.s.trated, there are _no rigid stops_--everything is fused together into a continuous whole. Liszt was an advocate of persistent development, _i.e._, the music going out into s.p.a.ce like a straight line instead of returning on itself. Inner evidence shows, however, that although he avoided many needless and conventional repet.i.tions, he could not entirely throw overboard the cyclical law of restatement; for there is not one of his _Symphonic Poems_ which does not repeat, at the end, thematic material already heard. Liszt carried the principle of theme transformation still further than Berlioz; and, as a German, tended to lay stress rather on the psychological aspects of character than on those outward theatric events which appeal to French taste. The difference is well shown by a comparison of the _d.a.m.nation of Faust_ with Liszt's _Faust_ Symphony, considered his most inspired orchestral work. Liszt must not be forgotten as a song-writer, especially for his settings to Goethe's poems; which, as Huneker says, are masterpieces and contain, in essence, all the dramatic lyricism of modern writers, Strauss included. In these songs the instrumental part is of special import; Liszt in pianistic treatment antic.i.p.ating Hugo Wolf with his "Songs for Voice and Pianoforte," _i.e._, the voice and the instrument are treated as coequal factors.

[Footnote 245: For stimulating comments see _The Symphony since Beethoven_ by Weingartner, pp. 71-86.]

The works of Liszt selected for a.n.a.lytical comment are the Symphonic Poem _Orpheus_, the _Faust_ Symphony and the Pianoforte etude, _Waldesrauschen_. The student, however, should become familiar with several others[246] of the Symphonic Poems, notably _Ta.s.so_, _Les Preludes_ and _Mazeppa_; with the Pianoforte Sonata in B minor in one movement, in which Liszt works on the same plan as Schumann in the Fourth Symphony; with the descriptive pianoforte pieces and etudes; and with the songs, of which _Kennst du das Land_, _Die Lorelei_ and _Du bist wie eine Blume_ are beautiful examples.

[Footnote 246: An enlightening and comprehensive account of each of these may be found in Niecks's _Programme Music_ already referred to.

See also Chapter VII, pp. 141-155 in Vol. VI of the _Oxford History_ for what is perhaps a rather biased point of view. There is an excellent tabulation of the themes from _Les Preludes_ in Mason's _Romantic Composers_.]

SYMPHONIC POEM, ORPHEUS

In this work, as must always be the case in poetically suggestive music, the composer trusts to the general intelligence and insight of the listener. For a mere mention of the name Orpheus may well call up the vision of a majestic, G.o.dlike youth proclaiming his message of joy and peace to soften the unruly pa.s.sions of men and animals.

It is said that Liszt's imagination was kindled by a beautiful representation of Orpheus playing on the lyre, which decorates an Etruscan vase in the Louvre. The aim of the music was thus to intensify and supplement the visual effect. The Poem begins with soft, sustained calls on the horns, creating a mood of expectancy, interspersed with modulatory arpeggios on the harp serving to complete the legendary picture. In these Symphonic Poems, we must always observe how closely the nature of the themes and the whole import of the music are involved with the orchestral dress. For Liszt, though not perhaps so brilliant and sensational as Berlioz, was equally a great master of orchestral coloring and poetic suggestion by means of appropriate instruments; often, too, more delicate and refined. In measure 15 begins for sustained strings the stately march which typifies the gradual approach of Orpheus. The second phrase of the march, beginning in measure 38, has received the compliment of being appropriated, almost literally, by Wagner in the second act of the _Valkyrie_ for the march motive with which Wotan is ushered in. Some beautiful modulatory developments of the march theme, with which the original horn calls are united, lead to the impa.s.sioned theme in E major, sung by an English horn, which is the message of Orpheus to the sons of men, _e.g._

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The theme is expanded by means of striking modulations until, in measure 102, it is presented by the full orchestra. Some rather meaningless repet.i.tions, in detached phrases, of the Orpheus theme bring us, in measure 130, to a return of the original march which is finally proclaimed _ff_ with great power and sonority. It seems to typify the triumphant justification of Orpheus's appearance. The dissonant modulations in the following pa.s.sage, beginning measure 155, (in which the double ba.s.ses take a dramatic part) have been thought by some to represent realistically the uncouth roars of forest monsters.

These outcries finally subside and in the Coda, beginning at measure 180, we have first a beautiful reminiscence of Orpheus's message and then a last announcement of the march theme, which is now presented in the form of a long diminuendo, as if the G.o.d-like apparition were slowly withdrawing from our sight. A series of s.h.i.+fting modulations (adagio and pianissimo) seems to bring a cloud before our enraptured senses, and the work closes with a long sustained chord in C major, _ppp_, giving an elemental idea of peace and satisfaction. From the standpoint of musical structure the work is a crescendo followed by a diminuendo and, poetically considered, is a convincing picture in terms of music of the effect made upon Liszt's imagination by the legend of Orpheus. Observe that, although the composition is free in form, it is _not_ formless.[247] The main lines are the familiar ones of statement, contrast and restatement, _i.e._, three-part form, and the key-relations.h.i.+p is clear and carefully planned.

[Footnote 247: An allegation often brought against Liszt's work by those whose conception of "form" is that of a cast-iron mould.]

THE FAUST SYMPHONY

This work, although embodying Liszt's favorite ideas of dramatic characterization and transformation of theme as found in the Symphonic Poems, more nearly resembles the ordinary symphony in that it is in three distinct movements--with pauses between--which stand, respectively, for the three chief characters in Goethe's drama: Faust, Gretchen and Mephistopheles. In the _Faust_ Symphony the principle of transformation or metamorphosis of themes is of such importance that it may be defined as their rhythmic, melodic and harmonic modification for the purpose of changing the meaning to correspond with a modification in the characters for which they stand. The first movement sets before us five themes ill.u.s.trative of the most prominent traits in the complex nature of Faust; the three most important being (_a_) typical of brooding, speculative inquiry, (_b_) the longing of love, (_c_) the enthusiasm and chivalry of Faust, _e.g._

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[Music: (_b_)]

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The development of these themes is entirely free, the musical texture being held together by a general application of the principle of contrast and by a logical key-scheme. The second movement has two main themes, _e.g._

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which portray eloquently the sweetness and dreamy ecstacy of Gretchen's nature. In the course of this portrayal there appear several themes from the first movement showing, by their transformation, the effect upon the introspective Faust of the awakening influence of love. Thus the love theme appears as--

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and also later in this form--

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Towards the close of the movement there is a subtle reference to the chivalrous theme, as follows--