MUSIC.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 87

MUSIC.

—How Much it is Understood.—

The average listener to music usually appreqiates and understands to a \ery slight degree what he is listening to. For eiaiLple, this chranicfeir of musical incidents ones found it impossible to attend «x performances in a single day. So he sought for help. He was told that a certain Mr Prosit was an expert on pianopiayinjr amd could hear a pi*n/* •J-astai fas him. Mr Prosit was aoaordmigly jnvitctJ «•■ listen and report to the chronicler. He did so in the following words : — "He played very well. I enjoyed it very much."

"Cm," remarked the ohromcler, 'ihow did he pLay the sonata w ith winch lie began?"

"He played it very well indeed." The chronicler looked at Mr Prosit, and Mr Prosit looked at the chronicler. Then the latter said :

"But, my dear sir, you must not stojp by telling- me tbeifc he played well. You must tell me how he played well."

But that was just what Mr Prosit couM' not do.

The so-called appreciation of musio is confined to a small number of people in any Qomanunity. The enjoyment of it is spread among many. Captivtatiing melody always finds ready ears. Arti&tio development of a melodic idea is lost upon nine out of ten listeners. That is one reason why "opera is so much more popular than other forms of music. The tunes are presented in their simplest form. Even in the music drama with leit motif maohineiry, the repetitions of the motives are nearly always in the original form, and when a change is made it is en elementary on©, and so- accentuated and explained by the action that it camnot escape notice.

At the opera, one who beeps his ears open hears a vaafc amount of childish chatter aiboufc th© singers, but seldom' any intelligent comment on the operas themselves. — W. «T. Henderson.