POISON MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 32, 1 November 1907, Page 5

POISON MUSIC.

DANGERS.OF.THE MODERN CRAZE. In the most startling manner gruesome facts of human life are bearing out the testimony of several of the world's great thinkers that a certain school of modern music is hazardous to the minds aiid bodies of those who come under its influence. Recently, in four of the world's chief centres of civilisation, women have committed suicide as a direct result of this morbid influence upon their minds and conditions—music of the Wagner school. Both Max Nordau, disciple of Lombroso, and Nietzsche, the German philosopher, declared the musical system of Wagner to ho unwholesome, decadent. The most casual student of such matters knows that the germ of the Wagner system has so infected all other composers of.,the higher forms of music that even in Italy true melody—"be! canto"—music that is rational and wholesome is almost a lost art. The gi eater, tho musical genius, the more typically Wagnerian. The groat Russian, Tschaikowskv, having composed his masterpiece, his "Sixth Symphony," also called "Pathetique," a most sombre and terrifying fresco of musical figures, committed suicide. This work, thereupon, was well nicknamed the "Suicide's Symphony.!' Within the last month five young women —typical "Wagnerieniios," as Nietzsche calls them— have "played Tschaikowsky's "Suicide's Symphony," and risen from the piano to find death by their own hands. Secrets of the Bad Influence. I- ■ What is the secret of this baneful infiuonce? Nietzsche, once- himself a Wagnerito, tolls us that this poison-music is most dangerous, most often fatal, to its feminine devotees. At her piano, rapt, ecstatic, she cannot sec the grinning symbol of death bending over libr —in the form of a lover turning the fatal pages of the "Suicide's Symphony." Says Nietzsche: "Oh, this old ; robbor! Ho plunders us of our yonths, he takes oven our women, as plunder, and drags them into bis cavern. Oh, this old Minotaur 1" We are told that it takes time for this subtlo poison to act fatally—time and fanatical surrender to its power. . '....' Lot us give one of the many cases in which Wagner has meant death to ( his disciples. There is the caso of Miss Laura D. Ronaldson, residing abroad; being in comfortable circumstances, and having. no contributory: worries, sho survived a. complete .course of Wagner." Aii enthusiastic student of music, she revelled in "Wagner nights" at : the opera. She analysed those chaotic orchestral scores, practised them in their piano form. At longth—as always happens with real musical enthusiasts —she. could find complete satisfaction only in "absolute music." No,thing would now. stir tho omotions like the symphonies of Grieg, of Brahms—and of Tschaikowsky. Tho "Suicide Symphony" was the climax. All tho woes of the world set forth in a mastcrpico of music,-writes a correspondent. The short introduction, awesome and. sonorous minor phrases sounding like a prayer to be saved from a dread fate that is inovitable and recognised! The pulses quicken as tho danger approaches, shudders sounded in the bass. Perhaps a moment of hope, then anxious troblo octavos which tho singing bass cannot reassure; a loss of all sense of, rhythm—pounding bass and weird chromatic chord-progressions in the' treble— . But words do not describe such mazes of sounds. Tho devotee , , can only feel. At length tho finalo, which says, "no hope," "Adagio lamontoso" is tho movement. Jeremiah never uttored such lamentations'. ; •Music either Poison 0rT0n10.... Did Miss Ronaldson know that Tschaikowsky died ; of, this self-oreated fever in-his blood, this tearing of the nerves to shreds? Probably. But why should that incident stand botween her and tho master's work? In the ovening dwellers in other apartments hoard tho last fatal discourse of her piano. : Later some thought they heard tho muffled sound of a pistol shot: ' In the morning : when they broke open her door they found her dead upon her bed, garbed in robes of white. In tho adjoining room was her piano, l open as she had left*it; and on the piano rack,, open, at tho last pago, as she had loft if, was tho ■printed score of Tschaikowsky's "Suicide , Symphony." • This discovery tha£ : music 'may he actually ■cither poison or tonic for the nerves has received the serious endorsement! of reputable physicians. Experiments with musical pieces ot diifereut character upon.patients variously afflicted have caused tho theory to bo reduced to a system.- A Society of Musical Therapeutics was organised and is 'maintained to oxtend the system:by further oxporimonts until it can establish a sort of musical pharmacopoeia where musical compositions are/labelled according to their known effects, -as in the case of drugs, upon disease. ■ ' The president of this society is Miss Eva Augusta Vcscelius; an accomplished musician and singer, but tho directors are reputable members of the, .medical profession, , nmonrr thonV being Dr. J. M. Bloycr.Dr.L. Baker, and Dr. S. S. Walhan/ When this society has extended its experiments throughout the whole rango of musical compositions it will not be surprising, states pur authority, in view of tho foregoing instances, if:they affix to most of Wagner, and especially to Tschaikowsky Sixth .Symphony, its official label boaring the symbol of the skull and crossbones and the-word, "Poison." < "The adherence to Wagner," Nietzsche tolls us, : costs dear. Tho Wagnerian at lastcomes'to call rythmical, what I myself, borrowing a Greek proverb, cail 'agitating tho. swamp. The corruption of the conception is .undoubtedly much ■ more ' dangerous Tho youth becomes a moon-calf—an 'idealist' Iho most disquieting thing, to be suro, is tho nun of die nerves. You may go right through, ho says, "ono of tho "larger "cities, and everywhere you hear instruments violated'with; solemn fury—a savage howlinff mingling therewith. What is taking place? iho youth are worshipping Wagner. ' I heard yesterday—will you believe it?— .the mastcrpice of Bizet, for .tho twentieth time. 1 again hold out with much devotion I-again succeeded'in not , running away. May I venture to say that BizoVs orichcstri'. music is about the sole orchestration 1 yet endure? lhat other orchestra music, which is all the rage at present, the Wagnorian orchestration, is at once brutal, artificial and innocent —thereby Speaking to the %co senses ot tho modern soul at the saiuo time " — Science Siftin'gs." ' ■•'- : :•■