Some Aspects Of Chinese Music

SOME ASPECTS OF ft

CHINESE MUSIC AND

OTHER PAPERS !

I

|

Che Bijoux musical Books.

THE SERVICE OF ART.

A

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

By

IN

Mas. FRANZ

LiEiurii.

^

by

net.

Is.

SOME ASPECTS OF CHINESE MUSIC.

SOME

By G.

P. GREEN.

ASPECTS

MIS1C. By D.

OF

C. PARKER.

GIPSY Is.

net 2

(cloth, 2s. net).

RECOLLECTIONS OF RICHARD WAGNER. By AVCVST LKSIMI-I.K. Translated from the

JOHN BROADHOCSE.

\

German by

Is.

net (cloth,

j

2s. net).

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

j

83

fc "'Tl

ML Gr^A

To my

Mother.

594178

Priated by The 17

New Temile

Press,

Grant Read, CroyJon.

.--. -^-

...

Music

RELATION

IN

TO

LIFE

AND ART

1

PEKING

17

THE Music

CHINA

OF

(HIS-

25

TORICAL)

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

41

O

61

THE EVOLUTION OF Music FROM TO THE THIRTEENTH SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES

Music

ABSOLUTE

AND

THE ...

f

81

OTHER95

WISE

Music AND MOOD

109

REFLECTIONS ON Music AND RE~

LIGION

.'-?

.'.

...;

117

SPRING SONG

125

HUMORESQUE

133

ON ACQUIRING Music

143

s

b.^.,^.,^.,^.,^..-w..^.,^.,-^.,^..^.
i

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5

*

| ] | *

FOREWORD.

(

!

1

""THE majority

of these Essays are here presented to the public for

f

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-

the

mission

of

their

respective

f

jg

f

pro-

prietors. J

J

(

( ,

.

4

i

j

1

o

Music in Relation to Life

and Art

\

\

\

\

i

,^

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I i

b-^"^'^te'^^'^^w-^'^'^.^rj'

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ART, THE SILVER LINING OF LIFE.

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

.^,.^.^.0

I

I

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T

is

a commonplace, nowadays, to

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

i

j

1

,f

sixth century.

But

as a

day

life,

natural factor of everymusic is as old as the

f

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

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

J

ages.

f

Music seems naturally

to fall

into

3

.<^<.<~<,<*.<.<<.>~..~~,<..<.*,<,<^.,..<..4

MUSIC IN RELATION TO

the

i

o

\\

short

space,

:

emotional

of

headings

and academical

l.

for

us,

t

into

inquire

former class and see what tion

it

Firstly,

bears

to

may

\ve

the

a

the rela-

latter.

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 re-

I

t

I

ligious 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.

Js this a bold

statement

make;' Listen to the still uucultivated music of the Kast, and the will realise missing you 10

1

ingredient.

At

some

far

distant

prehistoric

inhabitants of this earth must have existed near the date, the

first

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 tract

Egypt.

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

1 11

nee,

we can

ideas.

It

is

a

noteworthy fact that music 6

i

f

*

^^*-^<^*<^*<^t*<^f^^f^f^

<

jF

I

MUSIC IN KELATION TO

aud folk-songs were common among the poorer people, two of which survive to

of the Egyptians,

/

this day.

One of Song

these

known as the Bearer's how the bearers

describes

f

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

the

I

:

Dr. Breasted gives a translation of this which I copy

sheep

;

below

J

:

The shepherd

He He

is in

talks with the

the water union?

Nar

fish

t

he

;

J

West

J

fish

;

passes the time of duy with the fish.

:

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.

8

-4

I

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
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.

1

The early Greeks were perhaps the

f

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

/

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

MfSK

IN RELATION TO

some

started

system

of

choral

organisation. It

is

2 f

more with the beginnings races that we have

of

different

to

I

so

passing on to the proor Etruscans about 8(KI

f

deal,

Jtoiiiiuis

B.C.

we

to this

now

to

find

music closely

Turning from writings and word

artistic

the

ancient local

allied

people.

we

Kast,

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

performed

a

that

large part

the

drum

in

their

I

f

\

k

f

acts of worship, and an enormous double-pieced trumpet or horn is supposed to be contemporary with

I

these ancient rites.

f

As

nil

cal

the book's, records and musi-

writings

were destroyed 12

in

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

U

-*.

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

f

I

LIFE AND ART.

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

j

it is

history of this slow moving and intellectual people with the dates

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

I

/

i 1

f

their leading musical lights.

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

i f

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

I

people.

The same

spirit

is

noticeable in the

Incas of a later date (1050

A.D.).

}

!

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

Ml

M( IN HELAT1ON TO

O

o A f

f

f

of

description festivals will

the sun

convey

worship

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 :

)

S

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

When Europeans

nations began en-

larging and organising the cult of music, the sense of absolute com-

f

position 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.

c

jF

?

!

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

VV/OULD you know

this vast city of

the old East, this mysterious spot in which sentiment and are imperialism waring with

J

f

fatalism and intrigue?

Come on spirit

the magic carpet of the I will touch the im-

and

penetrable here and there for you,

and leave you

A

to sort impressions.

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

with,

and

guarded

by

this

teeming

city

high

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

And

I

(

colour everywhere.

Imagine some genius of architecture enveloped in a madness of

f

|

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

PEKING.

colour run riot

mixed

rococo

marble carving terms of China.

And

gaudily coloured with exquisite

;

arabesque

:

in

the middle of this shifting

in

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

old

You

and the

trees

recoil at the

.smell of hay. shock of an old

temple, though beautiful well-toned in green tiles.

On

to the

and

temple of the heavens:

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

than

one

ever

against

the

summer

trees.

full

knew rich

existed,

green

of

You must not tiers

linger at the three of Grecian marble outside.

Imt look once at the tinsel and

fnded rornll

gold

inside, that faintly St. Marks.

Omar and

20

T

PEKING.

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

^^-" ^*-

The barbaric emotional worship this

eastern

race

is

so

much

elemental things will

O

of a

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

*-

k

fall

upon you.

But

on.

Through the imperial

to the gates of that

city

j

"forbidden

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

city," ones,

;

/

lives.

How

the sense of these great high temples, watching over the city comes upon one. How real seem

J

powers of darkness, as the enormous drums floats over the darkening scene. The Chin-

1

ese capit.il by nie;ht

f

the

roll of

is,

in its

way,

I

,

--^0-^.i

-.. -~l-..--fc..<-fc.-"fc.'l---c3

f

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.

Come down of noise

wish

to

the

see

that

attracted

by

enharmonic wonderful

/

busy street

j

You

I

and moving colour.

acrobat, of his

and

this broad,

s

travelling the noise orchestra, of

crowd

f

t

children.

Now we

have the

stillness of

dead

things and immobility; the calm peaceful cloisters and courtyards :

1

1'EEINO.

r I

I I

III

I

b

The Music of China (Historical)

25

o

^>

<^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

from

some,

the

f

We know and

f

Euphrates

plain."

the&e

J

hardly

anything

about

early and mythical folk, of their music, practically

f

nil.

As with

all

ancient races, the music

Chinese was in close

of the

affin-

and the symformer is worth

ity to their religion,

bolism

of

noting. is the

the

Music, say the Chinese,

harmony between heaven and earth; and they therefore rest

their musical

two

the natural producrepresented by unity, i.e..

principles, tion,

ideas on

I

/

THE Ml'SIC OF CHINA.

heaven

and

;

that

evolves, or plurality,

Again the

five

i.e.,

notes which origin-

|

from

a

combination

of

!

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

j

f

five

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 threr

f

were

planets. The five seems to have origin-

after

number ated

!

earth.

ally constituted their scale,

called

man

which

already existed, together with certain notions of the Chinese, about which more anon. He was also the reputed inventor of the

29

f

THB Ml

910 OF CHINA.

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

lute a

in

that,

own words,

his

"the

might be charmed with music, and thus be enabled to bear more cheerfully the burdens

people

of

life."

many

Undergoing

changes of development and enlargement, we next hear of music having assumed a more characteristic form, under the direction of

I

/

the

Emperor Huang-Ti (B.C. 2090), who gave names to certain notes and fixed upon a root bass note.

Passing

on

to

the

end

of

I

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

1

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

were

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

i

/

30 j

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

And

the chiefs do agree

joy,

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

>stsof the ancestors

come

to henr."

Certainly the ancient Chinese virtuoso had no false modesty !

I

The next musical

I

*

At

I

was Shun,

noted before.

32 jfj*^te<

light

1

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

back

to

a

of odes,

considerable

period before the production of any other authenticated works, and in it we read of the court

J

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

f

THE MUSIC OF CHINA.

i

j

of royal personages, the musical

which

instruments

by

played

the

had

court

been musicians

were interment, placed inside the grave"; and as the ritual says, "for the purpose of gratifying the soul of the dead with dulcet tones."

Here

I

will

{branches how the

the

give

various

"liberal

musical

evolu-

tributed to the literature of their it is

now.

The

first of these branches, altogether six in number, is "rites," the second is "music," which includes

f

:

fa).

Ywun-that

of

Whangdi

(b). (e).

Hienchu of Yao Dashao of Shun 35

>-*,f

(B.C.

2fi97).

I

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

1-^-l

f

showing

from earliest times, con-

music, as

f

i

of education,"

tionists,

I

the

during

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

J

THE Ml SIC OF CHINA.

Id).

Dahia

(e).

Dahoo

(f).

Dawoo

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

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

Now

to be burned.

this tyrannical

first

and

man was

the

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

dvnasty.

36

Ti,

J

one of the

i

THE Ml

^

>^fc.i

MIC

OK CHINA.

1

^

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

showing how much stock they

set

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

it

to

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

two distinct and the

southern

the

northern

scale,

guishable

by

the

38

quite

people

distin;

and

b^'^^fc'^^*'^^^te<

1

THE MUSIC Of CHINA. /

O

I

--' >--'--'^.>-^''^.>.-^...^..,te...-fc..,.^,0 these two kinds are each divided again into two sections, of ritual or sacred music (generally in the

minor

and theatrical common. The notation and instruments mode)

music. scales,

f

are

j

All time is

with

dealt

paper, but few notes their theories

to I

in

a

further

sum up may add

and

J

these

that

f

rules are based

on

infinitely difficult and symbolic meanings which are hard to

get

at,

result

and that,

may sound

though

the

horribly enhar-

monic, yet it is wonderfully emoThe__-reasausT__I think, why Chinese music is not attuned to western ears nuiy be de-fined

tional.

roughly as

:

4

(a} the untemperet.1

and

^ I

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

" essential for, grasping the phere emotional possibilities of euch_

musi. 39 I

/

(

1

ON CHINESE MUSIC.

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

CONTINUING

Eastern scale and notation. *As mentioned before, the scale oriconsisted

ginally

which

still

is

of

people

of

five

notes,

adhered to by the the north the :

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

numerary

'O

I

f\

note, as follows

\,

m

*

C\*J

C\

:

, o KuJ

>in

\.

W*.

" and The^semitonggJli "fanfare seldom ..usejj^jnaki-ng an onhnrNo abcolttte chromonic scale matic scale ^xists.

I

^

43

.-^.q,

3

{?'^.i-n-te.fc.>-^to.-^-^fc.i-^i

ON CHINESE MUSIC.

O. ;

1

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. 1

/

The following ale,

is a Confucian chorchanted at their ceremonies.

By

giving

the

rough

English

1

jf

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

lowing this weird system of music

]

literature.

In Chinese notation

j

X & r

1

7C

1

B fra

S T (

:

'vo

-&.

a

jj

E

i *

.

45

4

.-*.

j

OX CHINESE Ml

The

religious

rites

at

SIC.

the

Lama

temple include much music, neces-

j

sitating a somewhat large orchestra of drums, trumpets and

stringed instruments.

These drums

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 tions,

/

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

1

/

I

I

/

!

trumpets used are of various forms and sizes. At -the aforementioned Lama temple, one

,*The

I

ro hears the deep roar of great cylini

('lit drical instruments,

having

a pull-

I

4S \

i ..

ON CHINESE MI'SIC.

idea of

gan.

It

our present perfect oris

quite a small instrufoot long, having a

ment about 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

authorities claim

for

it

the j

additional interest of being identical

^KiN

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

f

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.

It

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

I

O> CHINESE M181C.

1 ,0

!

Another, and later form, is the Se, or Goto, of which there are three or four kinds, with strings vary-

l

from

ing

/

twenty-five

to

fifty.

j

f

I

f I

/

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

i

i

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.

a four-sided sounding box one side about half tha

is

J'This with

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

strings in threes, after the manof the present-day "tri-

i

f

)ner

cord "

in piano, diminishing length with the shape of the instrument.

]

These tricords are raised at alternate ends, and are struck with

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

I

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

a

like

fixed

end,

f

to

special brass key.

I

J j i

Now

looking back over European 63

f

I

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

details aside, extraordinarily siniilar to the Chinese Tsing.

It

is

more

than

interesting

i

to

development of two

notice

the

races,

on opposite sides of the

world,

f

and

working

entirely

apart.

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

/

Chinese, not a wit less intellecare perfectly content with

tual,

the music they have produced for centuries.

I

/

can recommend Rimbault's "Oriand Construction of the gin

Piano"

to

the

reader,

for

fuller account of the dulcimer.

54

a /

1

ON CHINESE MUSIC.

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

I

I

The symbolic side without

1

as far

of the Sh'in is not

interest, so I as I have been

give it able to

J

gather.

inventor

;Itsmeaning fluence

called

it

"Sh'in,"

restriction, as its inwas to restrict evil pas-

and to soothe the

sions

spirit.

The chief parts

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

(laws f

:

;

?were

;

;

(heavens tive of strings, f

were placed

in to

stand for the moons.

The

SAN-HIEN

is

a

guitar, very roughly

two-stringed

made drum

the small covered with snake skin.

boo,

of

bambeing It

is

I

"^fctfy

i

I

ON CHINESE M18IC. |

\

r^,,.fc..,-te.^-.--

*''* *-

<

l

<

"'"'"*'**

much used by tho poor people, who tune it to the "fifth" interval,

/

j

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

The SHt'-Tm in tho

manner

of the

I

"chanter"

nd with a of the bagpipe, able trumpet end.

mov-

The "musical stone"* has already been mentioned, and one cnn only add that it is exclusively a temple property.

/

/

i

*

^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."

Te-ch'ing.

60

f

i

ON CHINESE MC8IC.

1

ON CHINESE MC8IC.

i

during

five

days,

without,

how-

f

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-

paniment of bamboo

flutes

and

jf

f

strings, the local officers shall interfere with severity and

silken

put a stop to the

local

it."

officers

One can

see

delighted

to

"hold up" the poor Buddhists

" with severity"

j|

!

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

\

j

ON CHINESE MUSIC. *

The "Eternal Melody An

Eastern Legend.

61 >--fc.-^i(i

THE " ETERNAL MELODY.

r

A

f

LIFE spent in travelling round and over the earth teaches

many

unexpected

things,

i (

and

gives glimpses of the most unsuspected wheels within the wheels of our ken. I first came in con\

tact with the

"Eternal Melody"

}

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

No more than

a few, low words,

f

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 ;

I

memory

dinted.

However,

I

|

gather no more information or even a shadow of interest 63

could

j

I

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

THE " ETE11NAL MELODY.

in the subject at that time,

work

life's

calling

me

to

and

other

I it

had practically pigeon-

parts,

holed

as

a

delightful

whose study was ended

prema-

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

Two

me

in

what way

it

/

sounded to

this second time I will tell in

full.

A

1

get

nearer the heart of this "Melody,"

and

(

theme

spare week at Penang with many is not difficult to live

friends

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

2

I

THE "ETERNAL MELODY."

M coolie in

a

bearers outside, engaged conversation of much im-

I

port, judging by the accentuated tones and solemnity of their

accents.

I

f

think we must have been ready to

wake quickly despite our

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

for

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 up-

f

j

his 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

have

been

unfriendly

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

friend

patois.

f

"Oh! something about some

in-

fernal

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

Goo'-night." I

lay

mind

gradually

and

clearer, all

clearer

f

j

two minutes with

for quite

my

J

J

getting the time

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

J

f

another glimpse of this unsought subject, stored been given to

me

away

for so long,

me?

What made

but it should yield something this time 67 think so I cannot

tell,

j

-

v

THB "ETERNAL MELODY."

if

I

could

wrest

it

from

the

natives.

f

The nest morning I took A. aside my awakened companion of the night and asked him to act as

for

interpreter

me any

asking

my

me without

questions or

re-

which he having willingly acceded to, the coolies were called and my exampeating

request,

k

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

f

1

\

assured them, through A., that conversation had all been heard, and shooting a random their

dart,

I

told

them that

I

was

/

68 |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

f

/

or nothing

from them except that the "Eternal Melody" had been heard in the tiny village last and then they absoevening

f

;

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,

a

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

f

I

THE " ETEBNAL MELODY.'

Q

.

-^ -. i

1 1

-^.

>

and they only eye
to the cause,

me

Nothing further of note happened during this "melodic" episode, and thus for the second time the subject was blocked.

And now

I

will

pass to the third

f

2

f

time of my life when I to touch the problematic string of the "Eternal Melody."

and was

last

Whilst staying in Peking, early in the 1910, year during such spare time as my duty allowed

me, and

1

was studying the ethics idiosyncrasies

of

Chinese

music, and had much wanted to meet the president of the Y6-

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

sion

<

Rite*.

My

f

guide had thought that 70

if

it

f

il

THE

ETERNAL MELODT.

was known that a distinguished stranger was interested in musical lore, and with the aid of

f

[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

j

:

Yo-Poo

!

Without

hesitation

/

j

I

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

f

/

THE "ETERNAL MELODY."

g how our evening was going

to

end.

1

We

arrived at length before an imgateway, some distance outside the city, and immediately

f

posing

upon our drawing up the gates were thrown back, and a brilliantly dressed figure beckoned to

f

us to enter. *

the

Telling

rickshas

to

wait,

I

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

faint

smell

"

f

doorway we were con-

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

/

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

when

a

f

small side

door again opened and in came the smallest and oldest Chinese that I had ever seen, dressed quite plainly table,

*

the

though handsomely in dark blue and wearing a small round black hat with the red mandarin's button.

f

silk brocade,

The guide and myself bowed on

f

his

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

jf

visitor.

I

made appropriate

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

/

THE

utter

"ElKlt.NAI,

MELODY.'

uuworthiness

of

myself,

and after about ten minutes exhausting game of

this

tives, I started in

tions

which

I

of

adjec-

on some queswanted to

really

know about.

Now

I

have knowledge of certain

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

to each other, as enand the old gentlereally delighted that

thusiasts will,

man was anyone knew

so

much

of

his

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

74

f

THE "ETERNAL MELODY.

cal history in his keeping.

I

was

pleased with his suggestion, as these things were rare and not for many eyes, and

tremendously

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,

there were no windows at

as

all.

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 :

I

of

f

4

f

f

i

f

t

IHB "ETERNAL MELODT.

O

-..

^.

-^. .-^. .-^.

i ,

-^. . -^. i

i

,

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

a harp from somewhere far away, and infinitely sad were the

f

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

j

though some great theme was about to enter, and the voice of "

Ah old host saying to me: I see you look upon the Eternal

my

!

Melody."

Then

I

remembered no more. *

*

*

i

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

feeling

refreshed

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-

/

j

I

^f I

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

/

J

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

1

f

morning.

Whether the old man himself heard the "Eternal and Melody," whether I only imagined cannot tell.

it

my-

self, I

I

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

white

man had

ever

heard

it

;

t

I

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

I

I

full

I f

^riv

f

I

!

f i

i

79

tff

VI

The Evolution of Music from the ijth to the 1

7th Century

81

I

THE EVOLITION OK Ml

who counted

in

their

SIC.

company

of high birth and position.

many

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,

were

welded

their volks-

into

/

J

f

J

their

present musical position as great The thirteenth cenformists.

which was essentially the ago of volkslieder, saw its culmination in men like Martin Luther, 1483, who even whilst

r

tury,

still

at school was noted for his

singing, and through

all

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

I

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

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

a

that of Henrich Isaak (1440), prolific

German chant

writer.

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

f

t

early form.

which

music,

one

must

{Celtic remember

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

/

and Wales, was in a flourishing in

condition,

country,

century.

/

during

A

the last-named the thirteenth

certain

Rhiccert,

was

numerous

love

a

Rhys

composer

ap of

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 |

I

capture Yorkists

of

the

against

town the

/

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.

f

\

And

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

t

/

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

/

was

of

^

French parentage,

having absorbed

all

avail-

able knowledge from his native

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

land,

for

This

period

many

songs, masses, motets, etc.,

from

his

is

pen,

responsible

and

one

can

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

j

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

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

f

;

Lyons through religious persecution as a Huguenot, on August 29, 1572, just after St. Bartholo-

J

mew's.

The next

direct step,

from teacher

i

yet more famous pupil, brings us to Giovanni Pierluigi

to

his

da Palestrina.

So many

full bio-

graphies of this great man are available, that I shall not enter into details about his

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

I

life.

J

I

TBB 1VOLUT10N OF MV8IC.

of masses,

the

ing

Chapel

;

which led

singers this

to his join-

the

of

Sistine

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

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

and the world."

city

The coun-

having the reform of church music under discussion, turned the remodelling over to cil

of Trent,

i

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

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

died on February

arms

of

canonised

St.

88

f

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

church, whom one can almost call the founder of oratorios and religious

Two contemporaries

I

men-

shall

heads of their the respective national music first, Sebastian Franck, was an early German poet, living about

tion,

j

music-drama.

as

typical

:

f

and a composer of much mystic and "spiritual" music. 1490,

The

other,

our

first

English com-

poser of note, William Byrd, was born in London during the year

f

1538.

He was

a pupil of

Thomas

Tallis,

f

an organist and composer, whose celebrated canon, "Glory be to Thee," we now sing, and subsequently became an organist His virginal book at Lincoln.

1

also

of

Queen

Elizabeth,

many organ and

containing

clavier pieces, of

was his chef d'amvre, and one 89

7

f

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

his credited songs,

a

Mine,"

f

"Oh

Mistress

Shakes-

of

setting

He

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

A f

link

in

international

comes from Holland

music

in the per-

f

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

i

of

ison

Elizabeth's

reign

musicians,

was

many

of

fruitful

the

of

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. /

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

France's

91

THE EVOLCTION OF MC9IC.

ganists.

rightly pieces,

vaise

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

in

Paris,

He

uncle.

died

succeeding his at Paris in

1733.

Another great French composer was born at Dijon, on September 25, 1683 namely, Jean Philippe

Rameau. He was eighty-one years when he died in Paris, and his life was a busy one, spent in

old

composition and the further development of musical theory.

And then German

in

the two great Bach and Handel,

1685,

giants,

were born, and music took on new forms and meaning, and rapidly developed towards our dny accumulation of present knowledge.

These

few

notes,

92

garnered

from

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC.

d-te.<-fc.i-^.>--^.t-.i--f*.-*.>-te.-te.si sources, may perhaps be of interest to some, and I await

many f

eagerly for the author

time and inclination to deal fully with this subject.

J }

j

who has

I

J

I

1

I

I

8S 1

,^.M

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

i

.^

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

i

!

i

*

I

!

\

a Music

Absolute and

Otherwise

I I *

i

95

UCSIC

'

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

Above

POR

all,

get understanding."

purposes of this short paper of musical

upon certain phases

1

understanding, let me classify music under two headings viz., absolute and explicable.

The a

first

dividing must be taken in

broad

mean, perfectly grammatical and idiomatic music mathematically correct in its mechanism, and euphonically balanced, over and above any emotional side. The second may sense,

\

'

1

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

i

f

"f A11SOLVTK AND OTHEBW1SE.

Ml'SlC

Now,

my two

liaving defined

me

let

at

clas-

once

say that too strict a line between them is fatal and erroneous to the proper understanding of any tone literature. sifications,

Because a symphony

may

it

is

a

I ^ I

symphony,

mean nothing, and

con-

tain nothing than mere mechanical work? Berlioz seemed to

\

think otherwise

f

;

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

J

f

construction?

Berlioz again seemed to think otherwise, as did less

"NVagne "NVagner, others.

May

and

as

I

hope

many

not the great John Sebastian been swayed by moods

have

during the making of his fugues?

j

?

MUSIC

ftgl

j

ft

^^^

^^.

1

1

^^^.-4

ABSOLUTE AND OTHEllWIsE.

I

^^^ t

^^^.

t

^^.

t

^^^.

* >

*^^.

1

1

^^h.

4 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

t

^^^.

t

mf i

I

sweeping, crushing progress.

The opening "Allegretto doloroso " sonata form is the typical basis of the whole first

A

movement

and foreshadows the tragedy of the third, or "Fate," move-

/

ment.

5

short phrase of

but

four bars

works up to harmonic chords on the dominant, which introduce the

first

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,

f

phrase in octave chords,

argument

rising

/

the quells as its

gradually, 100

i

MUSIC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

force

until with full disannounces a charming

is felt,

cords

it

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,

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

.

I

original

mode tempo. It

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

swings them into The high, passionate

Fate

her path.

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

yearning tion

of

101

f

MC8IC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

crescendo,

and

restlessness

works the

ever-increasing spirit

up

to pure desperation.

Fate

having seized its victim, passes suavely on to a running, bass. The jade grows more presumptuous; and, with a

triplet

fanfare

trumpets, the old theme comes crashing down in fugal octaves, twisting the air through a triplicate maze, and

I

of

f

in an exfights onward, till, hausted condition of descending

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

f

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

Amen,

is

lost in

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

J

j

MffilC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

grows stronger and more

up life

self-re-

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

liant,

till

daunted

with a song of expected

victory.

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

f

I

I

2

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 sub-

f

lously

siding again.

Such absolute conviction is carried in this onward march, that you realise how futile it is to attempt resistance or evasion.

A

second theme follows, soft and plaintive, as though Fate were sorry for her "brick wall" attitude,

but

bursts

into

again

jf

a

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

:

who 8

it

is

cares

f

MIS1C

-

not at

AU3OI.ITE AND OTHERWISE.

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

f

the situation.

The deep intensity and meaning of the

movement will be and very

understood,

readily

minute

I

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

!

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

three

sort of delirious dance,

106

growing

jf

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

MUSIC

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

f

of chance.

The song of Providence, or rather Providence

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

tone,

is

flourish, retires,

and

f

and Fate, angry advances

the

I

can imagined than deand indeed the writer

I

alarmed,

to

attack.

The whole be

of the last section

better

scribed,

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

107

my

wish, how-

f

J

MfSIC

ABSOLUTE AND OTHERWISE.

D ever, to instance a great "abso-

I

lute"

musical creation, capable form, without deterioration in the suffering of

"explicable"

transferment.

Let music be an exact art let it have its grammar and idioms, its mechanics and mathematics; but :

understanding feeling and play through it all, so may we be on our way to understand the

I

let

/

manner of men our great masters were, and such thoughts as were theirs.

| I

108 ,

VIII

Music and Mood

109

MU8IC AND MOOD.

I

)

\

\ |7

)

VERYONE with viduality

a

of

grain

indi-

their composition

in

f

must know the feeling of utter inability to imbue certain tones with music, whether by playing or listening. It may arise from various reasons, chiefly, I think,

jf

being an intuitive knowledge of soiled and unfit condition of one's "personality," to use one expression out of many.

|

i

f

I

*

It

f

nature's law of protection over her most precious gifts, and unis

happy he who forces music

in

J

direct revolt against this instinct. 1

wrote f

knew

Schumann :

" It

this

when

he

better to rest than

to play without pleasure or fresh-

ness."

A

temporarily }

is

great

really

in

this

in

|

pianist,

state,

was 2

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 with

suffused

piano,

a

little

much defiance the movement was strangely

humility and final

;

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

of

gleam of

or

rebellion

hope.

The in

and most perfect mood which to approach music is

fullest

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

preliminary

as

"office"

a

kind before

playing. If the

spirit

is

receptive,

112

i

and the

ND MOOD. MVSIC AND -^.

mood one

^.ti-^.-^.

-

go and you are wonderful enough, play Schumann's great C major Fantasia (Op. 17). It is perhaps the most exciting thing hear,

or

i

-^.0

of exultation,

if

i

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

its

own

unfettered time. It seems to

me that one

1

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

an unsympaupon your present montal atmosphere. Imagine an inflict

thetic creation

113

f

f

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

And

!

lines rather aptly describe

"simpatica" is in

of

music:

J

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

j

as the

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

the reader ever experienced a to the system at the

sudden jar

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

in

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

f

MUSIC AND J5

*

"~^*

""

'

't~n

T^M *t~>

t|

i

n ^^n-^n n_i

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

One 4

~ T*^

>IOOD.

is

forced

"mood"

M

f*

admit that the

to

of the age has

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

A

f

clevernpss of the generation. is bad, but one need not offend by glancing back to the melody of Mozart, and keeping in mind the smudged har-

Comparison

/

f f

mony

of certain

"moderns."

f

When

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.

" !

115

^~

i

^

f f

i

*'^'^'^^fc-^^fc^fc^fc^H^i^fc

>

I

cE

I

I

I

i

Reflections

on Music

and Religion

i

i i

j

,

I

MUSIC AND RELIGION.

VV7E seem

have wandered far

to

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

from

the

;

artistic and ernodecorative, tional our Bach, from the concert-platform, in diluted doses.

?

f

f

;

I

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.

stronger

of its initial emotional If

this

influence

latter

a

in

is

the

mind,

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

the mysteries of heaven says, "Slight

emblem 119

;

as

Hogg

of the bliss

f

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

states this idea

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 :

f

'

reconciling,

that

the

and

I

problem

fully is

bclievr solved,

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

ever noble,

if

art,

how-

the conscience 120

it

f

MUSIC AND RELIGION.

shocked

by

the

absence

of

the

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

f

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

1

meaning, and introduce exact mathematics into inspired rays-

(

teries.

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 :

Again,

Scriptures.

form any part vices,

let

of

if

music

religious

is

f

to

ser-

be of the highest,

it

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

summed up

f

words,

apply

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

which

"Content

:

to

keep the upper win121 9

f

I

9

r

REFLECTIONS ON

.^..^..^..^..^..^..^,0 of his mind open to the holy winds and pure lights of heaven, and the side windows of tone

dows

....

open to the earth, to

let

/

upon his fellow men the tenderness and truth those upper in influences bring forth any

j

forth

to

exposed

their

opera1 am of opinion that it cannot be right to assume thai music is merely one of the greatregion tion."

velopment

to

the day, and constructive deanother, without

some pause

for

thought as to

of

art-forces

est

pass

from

^

one

j

f

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

so

beauty,

with

these

much in

a that work of whatever form, is a

122 I

*'

sentiments.

/

J

5 f

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

V

Sl'KIXG SONG.

and J gathered rich-lined garnets from the bramble hedges wonderful shades of colour, from

I

start,

;

greeny-brown bloods-tones to deep red.

But

as

and

1

from a

j

I

passed on

new things

of

all

me

my way,

the joy

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 as

f

mounted,

j

upon me.

seix/od

patches between the

i

full,

firs.

little

Here,

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.
The summit reached, before

me,

lo,

Japan

lay

with

snow-capped and a distance,

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

The descent took me through

1

f

real

English coppice again, of budand what ding hazel this time treasure trove, think you, was in this sylvan scene? :

A

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

found

f

!

in

f

primrose. it was mine, and for five minutes I hardly dared to pick it: oh wondrous gem, what friend is worthy of such a gift

Well,

!

And

so I passed to the lower slopes,

129

f

.^.f 8 Pit ING

and

saw

the

SONG.

Greece

of

plaiius

lying below me, the mountains

all

round, and a tiny clump of arbor vita? in a sunny corner of an emerald field, for all the world like

It I

was sad to touch the road once

J

brought me my and preagain

f

more, though dear England T

sently J

f

Marathon.

it

:

passed

a

little

village

church, surely of all things most close to the heart of English scenery. Walking up the mossy

I

wooden

f

path

the

to I

old

black

suddenly knew for

should be

my

whom

topaz treasure.

Sdoor, Surely i

turn to time.

!

was the feast and what a small

to-day

first-fruits,

Him And

of re-

for such an exquisite

so the little primrose

blooms were laid on the porch step with one word of thank-, when on turning hack toward the 13n

j

4

SPRING SONG.

I discovered a pearl of price a tiny snowdrop, nearly hidden in the long grass and I knew, as

gate

;

everyone

must

later, that

nothing it without being hundredfold.

So have

T

I

know sooner or

spent ray

ever given a returned

is

first

day of

spring, and surely the poet was to speak of England "nature's fairest garden."

right

181

as

f

133

J

HUMORESQUE.

A UNT Sarah would

flatter

herself

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

.

I

t

situation,

f

J

f

quite enormously keen, seldom took an evening away from my studies

Sarah's

;

when heigh-presto, Aunt invitation

rushed

I

1

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

J

sympathies

the slightest

difficulty 13T>

in

filling

j

/

HUMORE6QUB.

house with

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

interesting

And

distinguished people: been asked to come

I

following Monday evening, for the benefit of my education and the

furthering if

prospects

of

possible

my

f

worldly

!

The aunt had rather less idea of music than the wood a piano is made of, but this was no deter-

j

rent to her sense of social inter-

anl

t

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

f

course should occasion arise

above

;

all

:

Heaven has granted me two small talents, find

of

music and tact, which considerable

value,

T

the

former as a keen "life-long joy," and the latter for smoothing the way over many bad ruts in the 136

I

i

f Hl'MORESQTE.

-6 two was rewarded "Hopeless, hopeless, Mr.

had

pupil, solid

toiled bravely for

hours,

with:

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

f

;

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

Dinner had passed

off

in

drama. a

per-

laughter and conversational nothings, and Aunt and Sarah, nothing daunted fect

froth of

greatly

daring,

M. Grandton

Now

had

begged

to play for them.

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

his

passing

moment

and seated a

lull

himself, waiting for in the conversation.

And then he began

to play the ex-

quisite little minuet of his composing, so well known

own

and and no choice could have been more acceptable. beloved of

When died

all,

the delighted applause had

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

hurried

thousand

thanks, quite too lovely yes,

Monsieur,

my

favour-

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

'

things.'

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

1

HITMORESQCE.

O us

give .Mi,

just

how good

one of your own? Grandof you."

ton was smiling amiably. let me sit down so that f

listen

Now

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

properly,"

Jaunt: looking

" I

rattled

for a seat

;

1

/

must just

see to her.

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

f

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

of

theme, which, after much hiding under various forms

fugue

and variation,

f

issued

the full harmonies of Mendelssohn's " WeddingMarch." forth

/

in

j

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:

"Now

a wonderful

wasn't Monsieur to have written

man

that,"

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

UtMOllLsQl

E.

:

who

f

lutely speechless, crushed in this

I

was,

and

I

stood

absc f

vast dilemma.

j

And then he turned

to

me

twinkle, and remarked

'Is

it

with a

:

that you like the tempo di

niinuetto'-"

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

f

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

142

I

XII

On Acquiring Music

143

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^K-**'^^'-" ON ACQUIRING MUSIC.

.O (

I

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

T

the

music

is

of

and

me

as

a

*

the earliest stage, the seeker this wonderful emotional is

bound down to

things to play in the world.

takes any entirely rhythmic feeling from the music, and it isn't as though we could all be Paderewski -there's the wasto.

145

J

pitiful ex-

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

Repetition

I

f

after lever

/

so appall-

common.

ingly

From

out

pathetic,

taught

child,"

1

f

ON AtgtIBI.NC SitblC.

a ,^..^.~~~.^ I

most wonderfully to my fortune to have learnt my earliest lev-sons from a fine old musician,

It fell

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

may

be

Far

from

von

the expression. Billow's "Tech-

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

and very rightly not music essentially

Technique": too,

for

is

and primarily emotional? And, after

all,

say a piano,

a single instrument, is only one of the

many facets "music"; a

of

the

diamond

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

uot

enormously important than Clementi? listening

more

When

shown visions of a

1

wonderful tone land, and helped to gauge some of its exquisite 146

f

the seeker

is

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

and willingly fight with the trials of the early climbing.

of tone,

How

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

show

any enthusiasm

at

J

the

i

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

f

;

labour was unrolled before him.

The pupil must be taught 147

at

/

an

ON ACQUIRING Ml Ml.

early f

Emotion

is

really

a

manifested

and sensation

sensation,

is

per-

an

old

ception fulfilled. Sir

i

differentiate

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

I

f

to

.stage

between " tion

William

Hamilton,

Scottish philosopher of the early nineteenth century, analyses as

follows:

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

j

feeling. ing,

Knowledge and feeland sensation,

perception

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

stamp of the supernatural, more

I

148

^..^..^..^..^..^..^..^..-^..^..^n*

ON ACQUIRING MUSIC.

and

attractive

delightful,

or

I

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

always controllable by reason," it is just this control which will lead the aspirant to the very heights of intellectual emotion.

/

and

Let us do

all

we can then

for the

I

/

beginners, to train their perception, that

they

may

intellectual emotion

realise this

of music at

the right time.

| *

*

149 *

New Tempi* Prns, Grant Rod, Croyden.

Printed by Tkf 17