No Signposts
| ISTENING recently to a broadcast from 1YC of Berlioz’ Fantastic Symphony, I wondered, not for the first time, why such works which shriek for an introduction are so often presented nude. It may be argued that a summary of the programme of such a work would be tiresome to those who already know it, and of little interest to those who don’t. I cannot see the force of this, While some people can appreciate programme music as music pure, there must be others whose attention would be caught, and who would be able to add meaning to it, if given some signposts. Especially is this true of works like the Fantastic Symphony, which is written around an elaborate story, on the basis of which Berlioz aims at a particular Romantic mood. As for the argument that some listeners might be irritated, I find it hard‘to believe that nobody needs on occasion to have the memory refreshed. In any case a pithy introduction would provide a breathingspace in symphonic programmes and allow the listener to make the adjustment from one work to another that at
present he is unable to do.
J.C.
R.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19490826.2.21.4
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 531, 26 August 1949, Page 11
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194No Signposts New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 531, 26 August 1949, Page 11
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