MILITARISM & R. STRAUSS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2540, 14 August 1915, Page 11

MILITARISM & R. STRAUSS

Ireland's leading composer, Sir Charles Stanford, has contributed an' article to the "Quarterly Review" on "Musio and the War," in ivhieh he traces a connection between the spirit of much German music of the day and the spirit of German militarism. "The essence of German militarism," he remarks, "has been reliance upon numbers, rapidity of concentration, perfection of machinery, repression of individual initiative, and in action the attack in close formation of which this repression is the necessary corollary. In their recent music all these elements can bo clearly traced. Richard Strauss is the counterpart of Bernhardi and the General Staff. He relies increasingly upon tho numbers of_ his executants, upon the technical facility of his players, upon ifhe additions and improvements to nvusical instruments, upon the subordination of invention to effect, upon the massing of sounds and the superabundance of colour to conceal inherent poverty. . . ■ . Thus equipped Strauss set out to conquer tho world by force and surprise, when lie knew that he was powerless to do so by charm or beauty."

"Strauss's means," Sir Charles continues, "are multiplied as his invention wanes. He glorifies Nietzsche in 'Zarathustra' in strains which that philosopher would have writhed. .. • • In,his stage work the;decadence is even worse. Beginning with a pale reflex of Wagner in 'Guntram,' it would seein as if the later morals of Berlin promised quicker returns. He treads on risky ground in 'Feuersnoth,_' presses' Oscar Wilde into his service in 'Salome,' outrages all the ideal spirit of _ Greek drama, and violates its first principles of keeping horrors from the public gaze in 'Elektra,' ami finally lets himself and sucli art as he has left roll in the gutter and bespatter himself and his hearers -with the mud of the 'Legend of Joseph.'" Summing up his subject, Sir Charles declares that "Europe haslong looked up to Germany as the best judge as well as the .best producer of music, whereas she has for tlie last two decades been living solely on her past reputation."

THE GIPSY ROAD Out across the green hills Faring with tlie day, To the wild bird's calling "Come, oil come away 1" The road, it lies full westward To the open sea; Take your pipes and follow . The will o' tho wind with me.. Warm lights upon the upland Glint tho heather spray; White the fields that beckon.' Oil the broad highway. It leads -unto the world's rim, By stream and flowered lea; !A goodly throng wends onward With joyous minstrelsy. Morning and' the red-gold Night with sable bar; ' Mirth and song, and thou, lad'j Rest heneatlv a star. The road it lies full westward To the silver sea; Tune your pipes and follow Tho will o' tho wind with me 1 Maltfomb B. Ayres, in tho "Colonnade."