MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 449, 6 March 1909, Page 9

MUSIC.

(3y Treble Clef.)' THE "ELGAR" SYMPHONY. Apart from the commanding position of its author, by common acclaim the greatest of living British composers, and from the fact that it is bis first essay iu the symphonic form, both circumstances adding a keen element of expectancy to the reception of tho work, Elgar has, in this city, at least one devout disciple, who will not rest, we may be assured, until the Master's message has been heard in partibus infidclibus (writes a Melbourne contemporary, entertainingly). The score is not yet, ho believes, available for study by local authorities, but it may be of interest to give a few citations from a couple of articles by London critics, only one of whom, however, had the opportunity of basing his Temarks upon an actual performance. In the "Musical Times" for December is a review of tho music, as printed and published by Navello and Co. After a brief dissertation on "the problem of how far tho symphonic form can be moulded to meet the individual requirements of a modern composer," tho writer proceeds to an analysis of the symphony, with copious thematic quotations. The work opens with an Andante —Nobilmente o semplice, in the key of A flat. "All who are susceptible to the language of sound," he tells us, "will feel the uplifting power of the first theme," which "clearly represents the heroic attitude of mind and heart in its stately rhythm, and its unswerving advance to a majestic climax of sound." On this point it is curious to contrast what the other critic —ho of tho London "Observer" —has to say. "In an analysis," he writes, " of its thematic matter . . . tho first concern is significance in originality. Let us tako this introductory theme, which has induced general commendation, probably because it is so obvious. In this type of diatonic melody we have the essence of an affected simplicity. In actuality tho phrases could have occurred to any composer of respectability"; and he proceeds to point out a really striking resemblance between this first subject of Elgar's symphony and the first six bars 'of tho Prelude to Parsifal, though he is careful to say that ono need not "suppose for a moment that the extraordinary likeness was intentional" ; it is, ho opines, an instance of "unconscious plagiarism."

This introduction leads to a "restless searching thomo in. D minor, the principal one of the Allegro," from which the composer "passes to a number of secondary themes, each of which has a poetic beauty of its own," and which leads to the second subject in l< , , "a suave extended melody on the strings, whose meditative character is enhanced by," etc., etc. Thus for the "Alusical Times," audi altcram partem. From the "Observer" wo learn that "the opening theme (in D minor) ... is from tho soun, water fount of Mendelssohn, and the workiug out and development commonplace. Tho second subject is childlike and bland —Brahms in an. ingenuous moment. The subsidiary phrases that mako up tho balance are of the weakest character," and ho quotes two of them. "Tho treatment of these trivialities in sequential repetition only enhances the evidence of the lack of inspiration. ... It is impossible to discover a broad sweep of phrase that can hold tho attention by its inherent strength." Quot homines—there are two in tho present case —tot sententiae.

Then we como to the Scherzo. Of the movement proper, the "Musical Times" has little to say, except to designate a "whirling semiquaver passage" as "introducing an entirely new aspect of things," and to refer to "a reckless,' almost barbario second subject" ; of tho trio we are told that it "has two principal subjects. The first is a charming tluto dnet on a B flat pedal, a kind of musette. The second is less notable, but it achieves success when later on it is deftly combined with the principal subject." Per contra tho "Observer" would have us know that " the quasi scberzo is piece work; tho basis of tho little march tuno that runs throughout also recalls the sturdy feet on which the opening of; Chopin's Funeral March walks."

To the adagio which our first-mentioned guide dubs "a movement of great beauty in which the composer seems to have cmbodied his deepest thoughts and feelings," the "Observer" gentleman makes no direct reference at all. It is, however, built up of the very notes of tho whirling semiquaver passage of the scherzo (alluded to above), but "its rhythm and key and mood aro all entirely new"—as indeed they are; and on this point the other scribo has something to say, to the following effect: —"Tho Scherzo motive, which is arranged to join with a couplo of independent subsidiary themes, and is afterwards drawn out into a theme for the Adagio, only exploits a device that has served other composers. Tho questionable point about this sort of work, carried to tho extent it is in this symphony, is that the mechanical evolution of this melody necessarily removes any thought of a genuine inspiration, and tho series of notes must be taken for better or worse, according to how much you are in love with tho design. Hut tho true spirit of the Adagio, tho deep note of a hidden joy or sorrow that sings from tho heart, is not to be expressed with cheap, ready-made material."

There is no need to pursue this study in contrasts into the fourth and final movement. The one man —our readors will readily divino which— remarks that "many stray cuckoos have laid their eggs in Elgar's nest, and ho lias duly hatched them out. ... . In structure, idiom and melodic line there- is nothing that, to use Bernard Shaw's phrase, 'beats the critic in his job.' . . . Elgar's orchestration is so magnificently modern that the dress effectively disguise,! tho skeleton. I would like to think . . . that our leading composer has again reverted to some youthful sketch books, and with some odd material therein contained served us up a 'wand of youth' symphony." T,ho other trusts that at least ho has "shown that whatever there may bo in principle or iu detail which is open to debate, herb is a work of lofty purpose and commanding power, which is not likely to disappoint tho higli expectations it has aroused." Tho two viows are submitted to our musical readers to choose from. They are suro, as has been said, to get a chanco sooner or later—probably sooner—of forming one for themselves. Haydn Beck. Master Haydn Beck, the gifted young violinist, of whom groat things arc expected from such artists as Kubelik and Mario Sail, is to givo a final series of sacred concerts in tho Town Hall, as well as a similar season in his birthplace, Wonganui, before ho proceeds to Europe—probably to tho Brussels Conscrvatorium—for his further musical education. The first concert takes placo hero on Sunday, March 14.