SOME ASPECTS OF

ft

CHINESE MUSIC AND

OTHER PAPERS
!

Che Bijoux musical Books.

IN

THE SERVICE OF ART.

LiEiurii.
net.

Plea for Simplicity in Music. J.-JoACiiiM NIN. Translated

By
by

Mas. FRANZ

Is.

SOME ASPECTS OF CHINESE

MUSIC.
By G.
P. GREEN.

SOME

ASPECTS

OF

GIPSY
Is.

MIS1C. By D.
(cloth, 2s. net).

C. PARKER.

net
2

RECOLLECTIONS OF RICHARD WAGNER. By AVCVST LKSIMI-I.K.

Translated from the

German by
net (cloth,
j

JOHN BROADHOCSE.
2s. net).

Is.

83

LONDON: WILLIAM REEVES, CHARING CROSS ROAD, W.C.

fc

"'Tl

ML
Gr^A

To my

Mother.

594178

Priated by The
17

New Temile

Press,

Grant Read, CroyJon.

.--. -^-

...

Music
PEKING

IN

RELATION

TO

LIFE
1

AND ART

17

THE Music
TORICAL)

OF

CHINA

(HIS-

25
41

ON CHINESE Music (ANALYTICAL) THE "ETERNAL MELODY": AN

EASTERN LEGEND

61

THE EVOLUTION OF Music FROM

TO THE THIRTEENTH SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES

THE
...

81

Music
WISE

ABSOLUTE

AND

OTHER95
109

Music AND MOOD

REFLECTIONS ON Music AND RE~

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'
!

ART, THE SILVER LINING OF LIFE.

O^.,^.,^.,^..^..^...^.

.^,.^.^.0

is

a commonplace, nowadays, to
i

lightly pass sentence on music as the youngest of the arts, and

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

starting point to this new intellectual force, the efforts of St.

Ambrose at the close of the fourth century A.D. and Gregory in the
sixth century.

,f

But

as a
life,

day

natural factor of everymusic is as old as the

earliest nations themselves, and I hope in the following pages to

give some proof of the universal sense of music throughout all the
ages.

Music seems naturally

3

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-

former class and see what

tion

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

orchestration, to cite only one case? As also one may remain

4

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

inhabitants of this earth must have existed near the

date, the
tract of country known afterwards as Media, and from this point extended east and west, the lormer passing on to Thibet and China, the latter to Babylon and

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

noteworthy fact that music

6

^^*-^<^*<^*<^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

known as the Bearer's how the bearers

assure their lord in the chair that

vehicle is lighter to them when he is in it than when it is The other is the Shepempty herd's Song which he sings to his
:

sheep
below

Dr. Breasted gives a translation of this which I copy

;
:

The shepherd

is in

the water union?

he

fish

He He

talks with the

fish.

Nar

fish

passes the time of duy with the

West

J
:

The sistrum was entirely devoted

to

religious music, whereas the instrument of secular life was the

harp

also reference

is

made

to a

small species of flute.

-4

MUSIC IN RELATION TO

strongly influenced by music in their religious observances, and the sun worship of the Magi was

attended by much chanting ar<l

clashing of cymbals.

This tract of country was comprehensively inhabited by the Aryan

division of the then

human

race,
/

and branches from this section spread through Asia Minor to Greece, and northward to the Crimea and Southern Russia.

The early Greeks were perhaps the

least

sensitive

to emotional

in-

fluences, and thus their early records are silent as to musical

life.'

* 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

more with the beginnings races that we have

so

of

to

deal,
B.C.

Jtoiiiiuis

passing on to the proor Etruscans about 8(KI

find

we
to

music closely
people.

allied

to this

artistic

now

the

Kast,

ancient local

Turning from writings and word

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

these ancient rites.

As

nil

the book's, records and musi-

cal

writings

were destroyed
12

in

't.^,.,^..^.,^o^.,^,.^o^<,^.,^.,^.tf
I

LIFE AND ART.

-*.

U
f

-*.-^-^<-^-^-fc.-^.H-fc.-^-^CJ
B.C.

proof

200, of

we lose the absolute more western records,

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

marking various times of progress, and the names of some of

their leading musical lights.

Coming down to quite latter times, we read of the worship of the

Aztecs during the third century A.D., and note how great an influence music in a rough form had upon the emotions of these wild people.

i
f

The same

spirit

is

noticeable in the
A.D.).
}

Incas of a later date (1050

^.,^..^..^..^..^.,^.,^..^..^..^.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
:

revelry of the day was closed at night by music and dancing.*

S
f

When Europeans

nations began en-

larging and organising the cult of music, the sense of absolute composition crept in, and the progress through the thirteenth and

fourteenth centuries, culminated with Gnudimel (1505 A.D.) and his

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

wish to point out

Prescott.

14

LIFE AND ART.

ft

II

Peking

17

-^-^-.'^^te-^-^
PEKING.
!

jF

0.^.,^.,^,,^,^.,^,^..^..^.,^,^.o
I

VV/OULD you know

this vast city of

J

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

penetrable here and there for you,

and leave you

glorious day with blue, blue sky, such as even Italy can scarcely vie

with,

and
by

this

teeming

city

overtowering and encircled almost temples imprisoned with a "wall."

guarded

high

And

colour everywhere.

Imagine some genius of architecture enveloped in a madness of

,^..^..^.,^..^..^.,^.,^..^.,^.,^4

PEKING.

colour run riot rococo

mixed

gaudily coloured with exquisite

:

marble carving terms of China.

arabesque

in

And
life

in

the middle of this shifting

of colour, a placid green English park: a sweet shaded spot of old trees

and the

You

recoil at the

.smell of hay. shock of an old

temple, though beautiful well-toned in green tiles.

and

On

to the

temple of the heavens:

;

perfection of delirious colour; bluer blue, bluer than the sky

than

one
the

ever
full

knew
rich

existed,

against

green

of

summer

trees.

You must not

tiers

linger at the three of Grecian marble outside.

inside, that faintly St. Marks.

Imt look once at the tinsel and

fnded
rornll

gold

Omar and

20

PEKING.

^k.>-^te.-^~<-^fc.'^-fc--^^.-^

^^-" ^*-

*-

The barbaric emotional worship

this

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

elemental things will

fall

upon you.

But

on.

Through the imperial

city

to the gates of that

"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

ese capit.il by nie;ht

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
/

various groupings, make for incessant wonder. And over all is

the mystery of Peking in hiding; the inexplicable sense of the
j

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

and moving colour.

see

You

wish

to

that

acrobat, of his

attracted

by

travelling the noise

enharmonic
wonderful

and

the

crowd

orchestra, of

children.

Now we

have the

stillness of

dead

things and immobility; the calm peaceful cloisters and courtyards

:

1'EEINO.

r
I I
I

III

The Music of China

(Historical)

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.

early and mythical folk, of their music, practically

As with
of the

all

ancient races, the music

affin-

Chinese was in close

of

ity to their religion,

bolism
noting. is the
rest

the

and the symformer is worth

I

Music, say the Chinese,

harmony between heaven and earth; and they therefore

their musical

ideas on

two

principles,
tion,

the natural producrepresented by unity, i.e..

THE Ml'SIC OF CHINA.

heaven

and

that

which
i.e.,

man

evolves, or plurality,

earth.

Again the
called

five

notes which origin-

ally constituted their scale,

were

after

number
|

planets. The five seems to have originfive

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

Emperor Fuh-shi (circa 3000 B.C.), who practically founded China as

a nation, as distinct from the Miaotsz or aboriginals. He was
j

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

and the lyre (most probably form of the modern ch'in),

in

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

highest antiquity" period (about 2300 n.c.), it is recorded

when the Emperor Yao died, mourned for him three years, and musical instruments
that

the people

between the ''four seas" stopped and stored away.

were
i

In the '"Li-Ki" (book of rites) the

/
j

30

I
9

THE MC9IC OF CHINA.

A hanging

stone

gong, the Te-

ch'ing, was much in favour at this time, though it still exists in

the

present-day temple services,

and the following chant of Konei,

Yno's court musician,
interest
'
:

may

he of

When

I smite my musical stoneBe it gently or strong, Then do the fiercest hearts lep for

joy,

And

the chiefs do agree

* *

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."

>stsof the ancestors

come

Certainly the ancient Chinese virtuoso had no false modesty

!

The next musical

*

light

was Shun,

At

noted before.

32
jfj*^te<

O" ,

THE MT8IC OF CHINA.

art of music, in fact, the knowledge of .sounds was said to be so

closely connected with the science of government, that only those

who
music

understood the science of were fit to perform the

duties of rulers.

The "Shi-King," or book

dates

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

THE MUSIC OF CHINA.

of royal personages, the musical

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

with dulcet tones."

Here

will

give

the

"liberal

of education,"

showing
evoluJ

{branches how the

tionists,

various

musical

from earliest times, conit is

tributed to the literature of their

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).

Hienchu of Yao Dashao of Shun

35

(B.C. 2357).
(B.C. 2255).

>-*,f

-fc-.>-^.-^..-^

1-^-l

THE Ml SIC OF CHINA.

Id).
(e).
(f).

Dahia

of

Dahoo

Dawoo

Yu Wang (B.C. 2200). of Yin (B.C. 1766). Woo Wang (B.C. of

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."

A considerable check came

to

the

progress of the musical art, by the edict of the Emperor Tsin or Chin (B.C. 200)," that all books

and music were

to be burned.

Now
first

this tyrannical

man was

the

and

universal emperor of China, withal a strong, capable

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

from Hretsclmeider's ''Mediaeval Researches" is interesting a.s

showing how much stock they

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

gets more and more, trace through the

links of past ages as the western influence spreads and alters their

outlook, whilst much of the old musical tradition is dying out.

The present music

kinds,

is

of

the

southern
scale,

two distinct and the

distin;

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,

and theatrical common. The notation and instruments

mode)
All time is

are

dealt

with
to
I

in

further
these

paper, but few notes

their theories

sum up may add

that

and

rules are based

on

infinitely difficult and symbolic meanings which are hard to

at,

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

(a} the untemperet.1

^
I

unchanging hcala of this eastern music (JiJ, the lack qf. " atuiosproper and necessary;

and

" essential for, grasping the phere emotional possibilities of euch_

musi.
39
I

ON CHINESE MUSIC.

CONTINUING

the subject of Chinese music, I think it advisable to commence with some notes on the

Eastern scale and notation.

*As mentioned before, the scale originally

consisted
is

of

five

notes,

which
people

still

of

adhered to by the the north the

:

southerners, however, possess a diatonic octave, icith a super-

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 notation of Chinese music is peculiar and ingenious, for although

no value
is

attached to a note, yet

/

vague signs are used sometimes to

give a suggestion of time.

The following
ale,

is a Confucian chorchanted at their ceremonies.

By

giving

the

rough

English

jf

equivalent, readers will see how many difficulties there are in fol-

lowing this weird system of music

literature.

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

some proportions, the skin always

being nailed on instead of being braced with cords. A treatise on drums was written in A.D. 860, giving over one hundred symphonies
,*The
!

trumpets used are of various forms and sizes. At -the aforementioned Lama temple, one
ro hears the deep roar of great cylini

('lit drical instruments,

having

a pull-

4S
\

i
..

ON CHINESE MI'SIC.

idea of

our present perfect oris

gan.

It

ment about a

quite a small instrufoot long, having 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

additional interest of being iden-

^KiN

with Jubnl'js organ. The or SH'IN, the most perfect

of Chinese stringed instruments,

has comparable relationship with

the early European forms. From Fu-shi (B.C. 3000) the instrument
f

was handed down, till quite late unaltered condiin an years,

tion.
I

It

consisted of a convex plank of wood, about three and a half feet 60

O> CHINESE M181C.

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

ore selected from

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

and most perfect form

52

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

a four-sided sounding box one side about half tha

i

length of the opposite side, over which is suspended a series of

f

)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

bamboo sticks, emitting a sound of much sweetness, not unsmall

like
I

fixed

to

end,
J
j i

The strings are harp. turnable screws at one and can be tuned by a

special brass key.

Now

looking back over European 63

OX CHINESE MUSIC.

music, we find in a work by Luscinius (A.D. 1536) an engraving of the "dulcimer," played by

two small

sticks,

and with minor

i

details aside, extraordinarily siniilar to the Chinese Tsing.

It

is

more
the

than

interesting

to

notice
races,

development of two

on opposite sides of the

world, apart.

and

working

entirely

The Western intellect has of course carried on the '"dulcimer" to our grand piano, whereas the
tual,

Chinese, not a wit less intellecare perfectly content with

the music they have produced for

centuries.
/

can recommend Rimbault's "Oriand Construction of the gin

Piano"

to

the

reader,

for

a
/

fuller account of the dulcimer.

54

ON CHINESE MUSIC.
fc

^ .^fc.-^'^-^'^'^-^'^-^-CI
I

The symbolic side

without
as far

of the Sh'in is not

interest, so I as I have been

give it able to

gather.

;Itsmeaning
fluence
sions

inventor

called

it

"Sh'in,"

restriction, as its inwas to restrict evil passpirit.

and to soothe the

The chief parts

were

(laws
f

?were
f

(heavens tive of strings,

The
SAN-HIEN

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

stand for the moons.

is

two-stringed

guitar, very roughly

boo,

the small covered with snake skin.

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

is an embryo clarinet, blown through a small reed slit,

manner

of the

"chanter"
mov/

nd with a of the bagpipe, able trumpet end.

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-

ever, producing perfect sounds out of it and ten days later he

;

played the pipes and sang."

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

strings, the local officers shall interfere with severity and

put a stop to
the
local

it."

One can
delighted

see to
j|

officers

" with severity"

"hold up" the poor Buddhists

!

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.
*

The "Eternal Melody

An
Eastern Legend.

61
>--fc.-^i(i

THE " ETERNAL MELODY.

r
f
\

LIFE spent in travelling round and over the earth teaches

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"

through some chance-overheard, whispered sentences in a bazaar in Northern Persia.

No more than

a few, low words,

muttered by a passing priest to one of his disciples, but, I hap-

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,

gather no more information or even a shadow of interest 63

I

>'^h.^te^fC^te'^h.^b-^k.^fe.^te-'^.'^fe>b}|

THE " ETE11NAL MELODY.

in the subject at that time,

life's

and
(

work
I
it

calling
a

me

to

other

parts,

had practically pigeonas

delightful

holed

theme
prema-

whose study was ended

turely, soon after its birth. years afterwards I was to

Two
get

nearer the heart of this "Melody,"

and

in

what way

it

sounded to
2

me

this second time I will tell in

full.

friends

spare week at Penang with many is not difficult to live

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

THE "ETERNAL MELODY."

M
coolie
in a

bearers outside, engaged conversation of much im-

port, judging by the accentuated tones and solemnity of their

accents.

think we must have been ready

to

wake quickly despite our

for

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?"

were they jabbering I asked sleepily, for I

66
}

THE "ETERNAL MELODY.

thought they might disturbed by some

friend

have

been

unfriendly

power outside, and I knew my was well up in coolie

f

patois.

"Oh! something about some

fernal

inJ

I as far as melody, gathered, but if they attempt to sing I shall probably shoot them.

Goo'-night."
I

lay

for quite

two minutes with

gradually
getting the time

my

mind
and

clearer

clearer, all

saying over and over again, "In-

"Eternal Melody," Melody," until I was wide awake and trying to reason out a connection between these two. Had
fernal

another glimpse of this unsought

subject, stored been given to

away

for so long,

me?

What made
tell,

me

but it should yield something this time 67

think so I cannot

THB "ETERNAL MELODY."

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

THE " ETERNAL MELODY.

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

In the end I got

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

As we were about to start

off,

wailing as of several voices uprose from the huts, and we saw

white figures passing to and fro as if in trouble; but not a word could we get from the coolies as 69

THE " ETEBNAL MELODY.'

-^ -.
i

1 1

-^.

>

to the cause,

me

and they only eye<l with considerable fear.

f

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

pass to the third

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

was studying the ethics

idiosyncrasies
of

Chinese
f

music, and had much wanted to meet the president of the Y6sion

Poo, or board of music, a diviof the national Board of

<

Rite*.

My

guide had thought that 70

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

THE "ETERNAL MELODY."

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

doorway we were con/

ducted, and I was ushered into a large room, comically European and decoratively Chinese, with a
faint
stick

smell

of

"

hanging
72

burning "jossupon the air

;

THE "ETERNAL MELODY.'

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

The guide and myself bowed on

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

reply as to the magnificence of his house and the 6 73

THE

"ElKlt.NAI,

MELODY.'

utter
this

uuworthiness

of

myself,
of

and after about ten minutes

exhausting game of
tives, I started in

adjec-

tions

which

really

on some queswanted to

know about.

Now

have knowledge of certain

f

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

having some small store of

English, and being withal a most accomplished artist at the translation of ideas into the language

of the hands.

We warmed

thusiasts will,

man was anyone knew

to each other, as enand the old gentlereally delighted that so

much

of

his

beloved music, and then offered to show me the treasures of musi-

74

THE "ETERNAL MELODY.

cal history in his keeping.

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

there were no windows at

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

IHB "ETERNAL MELODT.

t
,

-..

^.

-^. .-^. .-^.

i ,

-^. . -^.
i

-.^ ,->. ,,.^, ci

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.
*
* *

THE "ETERNAL HELODT."

j-^i''te.it-^.-^.i<^.s-fc.-*-^ >*.
^.s-^fc'S

"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

watch I discovered two o'clock in the

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

kindness and help.

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

to be the overture to the

"Eternal
evening
I

The next Melody." was shocked and much

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

whether I only imagined cannot tell.

it

my-

questioned the guide on the subject, but he assured me that no

white

man had

ever

heard

it

THE "ETERNAL MELODY."

and indeed it may be so, but wonder if perhaps one day

hear that great air in harmonies to the end.
shall

full

I
f

^riv

f
i

79

tff

VI

The Evolution of Music from the ijth to the

1

7th Century

81

THE EVOLITION OK Ml

SIC.

who counted

in

their

company
/

many

of high birth and position.

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).

The Germans, through

lieder,

their volks-

were

welded

into

their
r

present musical position as great The thirteenth cenformists.

tury,

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

singing, and through

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

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

Q ,.., -*..,i'^.-.-^-^o.-^*-'-*fc.>'^i-^fc.tp
is
d

that of Henrich Isaak (1440),

prolific

German chant

writer.

The Csardas and gipsy music of Hungary, are extensions from an

early form.

music,

which

one

must
I

{Celtic remember

"local comprises colour" from Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, parts of Scotland,

and Wales, was in a flourishing

condition,
in

country,

during

the last-named the thirteenth

century.
Rhiccert,
/

certain

Rhys

ap
of

was
love

composer

numerous

strange songs, plaintive airs, one of which I re-

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-

trians in 1486, and is a very advanced standard of harmony. 85

'

>-"

..

ifci-fc.

-.

THE EVOLUTION OF MUBIC.

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

This musician, born at Bosancon in 1505, the teacher of Palestrina,

was

of

French parentage,
all

and
land,

having absorbed

avail-

able knowledge from his native

he journeyed to Rome, where he set up as a teacher. This

period
his
is

responsible

for

many
from

songs, masses, motets, etc.,

pen,

and

one

can

imagine him always expending his powers for the good of the
86

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

Church. In later life he returned to France, and harmonised Clement Marot's translation of the psalms he died at
;

Lyons through religious persecution as a Huguenot, on August

29, 1572, just after St. BartholoJ

mew's.

The next
to
his

direct step,

from teacher

yet more famous pupil, brings us to Giovanni Pierluigi

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

TBB 1VOLUT10N OF MV8IC.

of masses,

which led
of

to his join-

ing

the
;

singers
this

the

Sistine

Chapel

post he lost under

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

usage, "the Mother and head of all the churches of the

and the world."

of Trent,

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

only compositions of a secular character that he published were

two volumes of madrigals.

He

died on February
of
St.

arms

canonised

2, 1594, in the a Neri, Philip saint of the Roman

88

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

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

and a composer of much mystic and "spiritual" music.

1490,

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

many organ and

89

was his chef d'amvre, and one

7

clavier pieces, of

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

his credited songs,

f

"Oh
of

Mistress

Mine,"

setting

Shakes-

peare's words, is well known. died on July 4, 1623.

He

A
f

link

in

international

music
f

comes from Holland

of

in the per-

Sweelinck (1562-1621), about whom not much is known.

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

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

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,

during which time the forms were ever

enlarging.
/

France's

famous son, Francois Couperin, was born on November 10, 1668, near Paris, his father being of a family of French or91

THE EVOLCTION OF MC9IC.

ganists.

rightly
pieces,

Francois, known and famous for his clavier was organist at St. GerParis,

vaise
uncle.

in

He

died

succeeding his at Paris in

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

composition and the further development of musical theory.

And then German

in

1685,

giants,

the two great Bach and Handel,

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

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

d-te.<-fc.i-^.>--^.t-.i--f*.-*.>-te.-te.si

many
f

sources, may perhaps be of interest to some, and I await

eagerly for the author

J
}

who has
J

time and inclination to deal fully with this subject.

8S
1

,^.M

,^,,^..^ ^. ,^.,^..^.,^,

.^

t?^te^te^*^te^te^te^*^'*^^'^r?
! * !

i I

a
Music
Absolute and

Otherwise

I I
*

95

UCSIC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

'

Above

all,

get understanding."

POR

upon certain phases

purposes of this short paper of musical

understanding, let me classify music under two headings viz.,

absolute and explicable.

The
a

first

dividing must be taken in

sense,

'

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

A11SOLVTK AND OTHEBW1SE.

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

mean nothing, and

tain nothing than mere mechanical work? Berlioz seemed to

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?

"NVagne "NVagner, others.

and

as

hope

many

May

have

not the great John Sebastian been swayed by moods

j

during the making of his fugues?

MUSIC
^^^
^^.

ABSOLUTE AND OTHEllWIsE.

^^^ t

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.

The opening "Allegretto doloroso " sonata form is the typical

basis of the whole first

movement
/

and foreshadows the tragedy of the third, or "Fate," movement.

short phrase of

but

four bars

works up to harmonic chords on the dominant, which introduce

the
first

phrase in octave chords,

f

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

the quells as its

MUSIC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

force

is felt, it

cords

until with full disannounces a charming

message of hope.
This passage, which occurs again later in the movement, is the most "intimate" Grieg in the

whole sonata. We now come to a most singular and beautiful

motive,
original

mode
tempo.
It

re-occurrence of the phrase in the major and anon, a syncopated

a

seems that Fate whispers, she not altogether a tragedian, and announcing some coming joy.
is

A new

clause, in 6-8 time, gives us a short glimpse of different lives,

before

Fate

her path.

swings them into The high, passionate

yearning
tion

is followed by its reacdeep melancholy, until the approach of Fate note the

of

101

MC8IC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

crescendo,
restlessness

and

ever-increasing
spirit

works the

up

to pure desperation.

Fate

having seized its victim, passes suavely on to a running,

bass. The jade grows more presumptuous; and, with a
I

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

staccato chords, she glides into a hopeful, peaceful phase before

noted.

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

tremendous passage up and up,

102
j

MUSIC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

always triumphant, and

a great

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,

sweet life, untouched as yet by the vagaries of Fate, and still in

its

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

more and more unsettled, and the

pace quickening.

The original
richer

air begins to take on harmonies, as the life 103

MffilC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

grows stronger and more

liant,
till

self-re-

up
life

with a great, glad rush from the bass, the young bursts untried, but nothing

daunted
victory.

with a song of expected

The

air

grows more complex and

;

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.
;

The growing sense

able Fate in

of

an undefeat-

this section of the

sonata must, as I said before, be felt, rather than described.

The

third

movement
104

is,

without

MUSIC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

i

^'^-'^-^..-^..^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

smouldering anger, and suddenly

stops abruptly.

And now

how can I describe the beauty of the following passage

;

the purity, the aloofness the song of Providence, 105

it

is

who
8

cares

MIS1C

AU3OI.ITE AND OTHERWISE.

not at

all

for Fate.

After this

exquisite melody, Providence, hei time not being yet, returns to

silence.
r

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

The deep intensity and meaning of

the

understood,

movement will be and very

readily

minute

analysis seems unnecessary.

The

finale is a tone poem, picturing the triumph of Providence over Fate.

The latter flings out a challenge Three times it is given out, and
three

it times remains unanswered. Unchallenged, in return, Fate now whirls off in a

sort of delirious dance,

growing

jf

106

MUSIC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

madder and

dizzier, till at length

she sinks exhausted for the time, and the melody dies away in the
bass.

Providence now awakens, and sets forth her purpose, as opposed to

any dealings

of chance.

The song of Providence, or rather

Providence
tone,
is

herself, pictured in heard, repeated in full harmony. She then, with a loud
flourish, retires,

and Fate, angry

advances
to

and

alarmed,

the

attack.

The whole
be
scribed,

better

can imagined than deand indeed the writer

of the last section

doubts not that by this long discoursing, much of the imaginative point has been lost.
It has been merely

my

wish, how-

107

MfSIC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

D
ever, to instance a great "absoI

musical creation, capable form, without deterioration in the suffering

of

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

Music and Mood

109

MU8IC AND MOOD.

)
) a

\
|7

VERYONE with
viduality
in

grain

of

indi-

their composition

must know the feeling of utter inability to imbue certain tones

jf

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

happy he who forces music

in

direct revolt against this instinct.

1

Schumann
wrote
:

knew
is

this

when

he

" It

better to rest than

|

to play without pleasure or fresh-

ness."

really

great
this

pianist,

temporarily
}

in

state,

was
2

in

MfSIC AND MOOD.

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

much defiance the movement was strangely

contorted in this mood, and the restless soul brooded without any
sting
of

rebellion

or

gleam of

hope.

The
in

fullest

and most perfect mood which to approach music is

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

ND MOOD. MVSIC AND

-^.
-

^.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-

suredly listen to nothing else.

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

to hear music in a prepared frame of mind or not at all. It is

nearly always possible to know the programme beforehand, and

by no means

thetic creation

an unsympaupon your present montal atmosphere. Imagine an

inflict

113

MV8IC AND MOOD.

I
absolutely joy-tilled mind, strugwith the " Pathetique" gling

symphony, or conceive a sorrowtorn soul writhing under a Liszt

rhapsody
!

Cowper's
the
There

lines rather aptly describe

"simpatica"
is in

of

music:

And

as the

souls a sympathy with sounds, mind is pitched, the ear is

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

the reader ever experienced a to the system at the

in

entry of the E flat Scherzo Chopin's Second Sonata?

The Pole was such a bundle of moods himself that he sometimes

sinned against the sense of form and yet we know how greatly he
:

valued the latter, as the 114

man who

MUSIC AND
J5

>IOOD.
t|
i

"~^*

""

'

~ T*^

't~n

T^M *t~>

n ^^n-^n n_i

turned a contemptuous shoulder on Schumann's " Carneval."

f *

One
4

is

forced

to

admit that the

A

changed; and the composition of to-day is a good mental barometer of the restlessness and tricked-out
clevernpss of the generation.

"mood"

of the age has

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

MUSIC AND RELIGION.

VV7E seem
from

to

have wandered far

?

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.
;

During the growth of musical art

the absolute side has developed as the root and body of the whole structure, to the slight over-

shadowing
character.

of its initial emotional

If

this

latter

is

the

stronger

influence

in

mind,

then, without doubt, that mind is elevated and shown dimly of

the mysteries of heaven

says, "Slight

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
'

states this idea

reconciling,

and

fully
is

bclievr
solved,

that

the

problem

neither by compromise iior wholehearted advocacy of one or the

other, but by great-minded combination. Can we have a better

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

MUSIC AND RELIGION.

shocked

by

the

absence

of

the
f

reality of religion. He will bring the charge of perpetual repeti-

tion of sacred words in practice, as tending to deaden the spiritual

meaning, and introduce exact mathematics into inspired raysteries.

But the marvellous up-

lifting effect of perfect nmsic, as an aid to devotional thought, is

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

form any part

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

the question in these we can so aptly to the great Beethoven

which
to

"Content

keep the upper win121 9

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

open to the earth, to

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

the day, and constructive deanother, without

some pause

for

thought as to

it>

It is against the higher effects. point as well as useless to name

modern

work

of

religious

ten/

dency, but are we to get no higher

than festival productions and I that academic chants!' feel Browning would so thoroughly
disagree
in

with

these

sentiments.

5
f

so

much
in

beauty,

a that work of whatever form, is a

122
I

*'

MUSIC AND RELIGION.

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

greeny-brown bloods-tones to deep red.

full,

But
of

as

passed on
all

my way,

the joy

new things
1

seix/od

upon me.
/

and
from
a

me

but flung my garnets as soiled treasure from

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

The summit reached,

before

lo,

Japan

lay
1

me,

with

Fuji in the stunted pine wood stretching into the middle distance.

snow-capped and a distance,

The descent took me through

:

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

so I passed to the lower slopes,

129

.^.f
8 Pit ING

SONG.

and

saw

the

plaiius

of

Greece
all

lying below me, the mountains

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

was sad to touch the road once

more, though dear England
sently
T

it

brought me my and preagain

:

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

suddenly knew for

whom

should be

my

topaz treasure.
of
re-

Sdoor,
Surely
i

to-day

first-fruits,

was the feast and what a small

turn to
time.

Him
And

for such an exquisite

so the little primrose

!
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

nothing it without being hundredfold.

T

ever given a returned

So have
right

spent ray

first

day of
as

spring, and surely the poet was

to speak of England "nature's fairest garden."

181

133

HUMORESQUE.

J
herself
t

A UNT Sarah would

flatter

that she was entirely adequate and charming in any conversa-

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,
.

quite enormously keen, seldom took an evening away from my

studies
;

when heigh-presto, Aunt

invitation

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.

distinguished people: been asked to come

and had and meet Monsieur Grandton, the eminent and composer, on the pianist
her
interesting

house with

And

following Monday evening, for the benefit of my education and

the

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-

course should occasion arise

anl

t
:

above

things did she dislike being found at fault, or in any way "off the (artistic) line."
all

Heaven has granted me two small

talents,
find

music and tact, which

considerable
value,

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:

two was rewarded "Hopeless, hopeless, Mr.

toiled bravely for

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

Dinner had passed

fect

off

in

per-

laughter and conversational nothings, and Aunt and Sarah, nothing daunted
froth of

greatly

daring,

had

begged
.

M. Grandton

to play for them.

Now

your virtuoso hates being put

138

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

himself, waiting for in the conversation.

to play the ex-

And then he began

quisite little minuet of his composing, so well known

own

and and no choice could have been more acceptable.

beloved of
all,

When
died

the delighted applause had

hurried

down somewhat, my aunt up to him: "Oh, a

Monsieur,

thousand
ite tune,

thanks, quite too lovely yes,

my

favour-

Mendelssohn, is it not. Ah, yes, such a great composer, I prefer him to anyone yes, nearly " Aunt Sarah all his
'

things.'

always alluded to compositions as "And would you "things." 139

HITMORESQCE.

O
give
.Mi,

us

just

how good

one of your own? Grandof you."

"
I

ton was smiling amiably. let me sit down so that

f

Now
/

listen

properly,"

Jaunt: looking
f

can on the "Oh, there's Mrs. Gibson

rattled

for a seat

must just

see to her.

Yes, please go on," and she darted off to a far corner

/

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

theme, which, after much hiding under various forms

of

fugue
in

and variation,

issued
j

the full harmonies of Mendelssohn's " WeddingMarch."

forth

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.

neyed funeral march from "Lieder ohne Worte."

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

wasn't Monsieur to have written

The great man looked sharply at me Remember he did not know

:

UtMOllLsQl

E.

:
f

who

was,

and

stood

absc
f

lutely speechless, crushed in this

vast dilemma.

And then he turned

to

me
:

with a

twinkle, and remarked

'Is

it

that you like the tempo di

niinuetto'-"

"Indeed, truly, Monsieur, but not according to Mendelssohn !"

And I shall always maintain that M. Grandton's laugh is almost as

wonderful as bis playing.

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

the earliest stage, the seeker this wonderful emotional

is

bound down to

pitiful exf

amples of mathematical dullness, and scales, which are the hardest

things to play in the world.

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,

who kept me a year "listening" and "soaking in rhythm," if I

may
Far

be

allowed

from

von

the expression. Billow's "Tech-

Technique, nique, Technique," he cried for " Emotion, Rhythm,

Technique":
too,

for

is

and very rightly not music essentially

and primarily emotional?

And, after
all,

say a piano,

a single instrument, is only one of the

of

very beautiful and a very personal one, but still by no means the finest and not even the most emotional therefore, is
:

many facets "music"; a

the

diamond

enormously important than Clementi?

listening
is

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,

and willingly fight with the trials of the early climbing.

J

How

can the poor, dea'f mute musically deaf, and unable to interpret the stirrings that it feels

show

any enthusiasm

at

the

bleak outlook and weary road of studies, knowing nothing of 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
;

labour was unrolled before him.

The pupil must be taught

147

at

an

ON ACQUIRING Ml Ml.

early
f

.stage

to

differentiate

between " tion

"sensa''emotion," and " perception."

is

Emotion
I

really

manifested
is

sensation,
f

and sensation

per-

ception fulfilled.
Sir

William

Hamilton,

an

old

Scottish philosopher of the early nineteenth century, analyses as

"Perception is only a kind of knowledge, and sensation is a special kind of

special
j

follows:

feeling.
ing,

perception

Knowledge and feeland sensation,

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

stamp of the supernatural, more

148

^..^..^..^..^..^..^..^..-^..^..^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

A great English preacher once

said

that "passion is the drunkenness of the mind, and therefore not

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

beginners, to train their perception, that

they

may

realise this

intellectual emotion

of music at

the right time.

|
*

149
*

Printed by Tkf
17

New Tempi* Prns, Grant Rod, Croyden.