Mezzotints in modern music /

by James Huneker

I am not an ardent admirer of all the Wagnerian play-books. There is much that is puerile, much that is formless, and many scenes are too long. It was Louis Ehlert who said that nothing but the sword would suffice, and an heroic sword, to lop off superfluities. To the argument that much lovely music is bound to be sacrificed by such a summary proceeding, let the answer be—sacrifice it. “The play’s the thing;” dramatic form must come first, else the whole Wagnerian framework topples groundward.

If you consider, you will discover that Tristan is not the protagonist of this fiery soul drama. He accepts the potion in the first act, gets stabbed in the second, and tears the bandage from his wound in the third. Isolde is the more absorbing figure. It is her enormous passion that breaks the barricades of knightly honor and reserve. She it is who extinguishes the torch that signals Tristan. She summons him with her scarf; she meets him more than half-way; she dares all, loses and gains all.

She is not timid, nor does she believe in prudent measures. Shakespeare in Juliet, Ibsen in Hedda Gabler, never went such lengths. I think that to Wagner must be awarded the honor of discovering the new woman. Isolde’s key is high-pitched from the outset. And with what superb wrath she cries:

“Destroy this proud ship, swallow its shattered fragments and all that dwells upon it; the floating breath I will give you, O winds, as a reward”! And Wagner has wedded this dramatic invocation to magnificent music.

The composer often, in the intense absorption of creation, forgot the existence of the Kantean categories of space and time. It requires strong nerves to sit out Tristan and Isolde with unflagging interest; not because it bores, but because it literally drains you of your physical and psychical powers. The world seems drab after this huge draught that Wagner proffers us in an exquisitely carved and chased chalice, but one far too large for average human capacity. He has raised many degrees the pitch of passion, and this work, which I think is his most perfect flowering, sets the key for all future composers.

Let Nordau call us degenerates and our geniuses mattoids, we can endure it. We are the slaves of our age, and we adore Wagner because he moves us, thrills and thralls us. His may not be the most spiritual art, but it is the most completely fascinating.

INDEX

• Abend dämmert, das mondlicht scheint, Der, [28].
• Adelaïde, Liszt’s transcription of, [193].
• Albert, Eugen, d’, [226], [279].
• — Concertos in B minor and E major, [52].
• Alkan, Charles V., [215], [229], [240], [244], [266], [270], [273].
• Alps, musical picture of, [119]-[120].
• Amiel, [10], [203], [231].
• Antokolsky, [82].
• Antonia, wife of Tschaïkowsky, [88], [89], [91].
• Apocalypse, [148].
• Arenski, [83].
• Arimanes, Hall of, [120].
• Armida, Garden of, [181].
• Arnold, Matthew, [22], [287].
• — Description of Shelley, [205].
• Astarte, [119].
• Atala, [231].
• Audley, Mme. G., [213].
• Aus der Ohe, Adele, [87].

• Bach, J. S., [3], [7], [12], [21], [22], [35], [54], [64], [151], [171], [195], [219], [221], [227], [229], [240], [243], [247], [248], [254], [261], [264], [266], [269], [272], [277], [279], [284].
• — Best preparation for Brahms, [18].
• — Harmonies of, [22].
• Bach, J. S., Master of Brahms, [24].
• Works:
• — Chaconne, [50].
• — English and French Suites, [247].
• — Fugue in D, [275].
• — Inventions, [247].
• — Preludes and Fugues, [260].
• — Variations, [35]-[36].
• — Well-tempered Clavichord, [247].
• Bach, Emanuel, [266].
• Baermann, Carl, [241].
• — Studies, [262].
• Balakireff, [83], [241].
• — Islamey, [271].
• Baltimore, [195].
• Balzac, remark about Chopin, [203].
• Barbadette, H., [213].
• Barrett-Browning, Elizabeth, [207].
• Barth, [241].
• Battle of Prague, the, [231].
• Baudelaire, [200], [203]-[204], [205], [207], [210].
• Bayreuth, [285], [286].
• Beethoven, L. van, [3], [5], [7], [8], [11], [12], [15], [20], [21], [27], [29], [30], [33], [35], [64], [97], [102], [136], [144], [147], [149], [151], [152], [155], [156], [158], [166], [171], [178], [218], [219], [221], [227], [229], [243], [247], [266], [272], [274], [283], [294].
• — Anticipates Schumann and Chopin, [58].
• — Letters, [216].
• — Master of Brahms, [24].
• Works:
• — Adelaïde, [193].
• — Appassionata, [273].
• — Eroica Symphony, [137].
• — Fifth Symphony, [145].
• — Fugue, [48].
• — Ninth Symphony, [148].
• — Op. 34, [36].
• — Scherzo, [174].
• — Scherzo in Fifth Symphony, [33].
• — Sonata, [222].
• — Sonata in E minor, op. 90, [27].
• — Sonata in B flat (Hammer-Klavier), op. 106, [24].
• — Variations, [36].
• — Variations (Thirty-two), [37].
• Beggar, The (Turgenev), [99]-[100].
• Bellini, [39].
• Bendel, Franz, [240].
• — Treatment of sixths, [50].
• — Étude in double-sixths, [270].
• — Étude in B flat minor, [279].
• Bennett, Joseph, [213], [221].
• Berens, [240].
• Berger, Ludwig, studies, [241], [255].
• Berlin, [145].
• Berlioz, Hector, [5], [8], [12], [15], [92], [93], [135], [139], [142], [147], [158], [194], [230], [234].
• Bernard, Émile, [275], [279].
• Bizet, [149].
• Blackburn, Vernon, [210].
• Blake, William, definition of genius, [201].
• Borodin, [83], [85].
• Bortiansky, choruses revised by Tschaïkowsky, [129].
• Boston, [149].
• Boston Symphony Orchestra, [149].
• Brahms, Johannes, [1]-[80], [92], [97], [101], [108]-[109], [129], [130], [139], [144], [151], [157], [229], [241], [266], [268], [274], [278], [286].
• — Admirer of Wagner, [7].
• — Adversary of Wagner, [9].
• — Affinities with Schumann, [12], [265], [266].
• — Antagonists of, [22]-[23].
• — Appreciation of Tschaïkowsky, [139].
• — Choice of keys, [20].
• — Classicist, [3].
• — Coldness of, [16].
• — Color of, [6], [9].
• — Compared to an architect, [5].
• — Compared to Bach and Beethoven, [11].
• — Compared to Chopin, [58].
• — Compared to Ibsen, [7].
• — Compared to Paganini, [57].
• — Counterpoint devices, [24].
• — Economy of notes, [20].
• — Enigmatic, [78].
• — Erudition of, [21].
• — Ehlert’s estimation of, [14]-[15].
• — Fertility of, [1], [4].
• — Feminine side of, [21].
• — Figures of accompaniment, [20].
• — Form, [2], [5], [13].
• — Harmonies, [22].
• — Ingenuity of, [5], [47].
• — Intellectual mood, [64].
• — Interpretation, [54].
• — Invention, [20].
• — Inversion, method of, [14].
• — Irony, [32].
• — Magyar spirit, [21].
• — Melodies, [19], [28].
• — Modes, [13].
• — Modesty, [79].
• — Modulation, [13].
• — Nationality, [10], [59].
• — Orchestration, [19].
• — Pessimism, [63].
• — Piano music, [8], [15], [17], [22], [75], [269].
• — Rhythm, [7].
• — Romanticist, [3], [11], [12].
• — Sadness of, [264].
• — Scherzi, compared with Chopin’s, [20].
• — Schumann and, [12].
• — Song writer, [3].
• — Spitta, opinion of, [13].
• — Technique of, [18], [47].
• — Temperament of, [10].
• — Tonalities, [13].
• — Use of arpeggio, [7].
• — Use of canon, [13].
• — Use of chord of the sixth, [13].
• — Use of mixed scales, [20].
• — Use of octave, [13].
• — Use of triolen, [18].
• — Vogrich’s estimate of piano pieces, [77].
• — Working out, [20].
• — Workmanship of, [7].
• Works:
• — Ballades, [17], [32], [33]-[34].
• — Capriccio in B minor, [60].
• — Capriccio in C sharp minor, [62].
• — Capriccio in D minor, [18], [70].
• — Capriccio in F sharp minor, [59].
• — Capriccio in G minor, [68].
• — Capriccio fantastic in op. 76, [63].
• — Capriccios and intermezzi, [17].
• — Clavierstücke, op. 76, [59]-[64].
• — Cradle-song, [70]-[71].
• — Concerto in B flat major, [21], [52], [53].
• — Concerto in D minor, [44], [52]-[55].
• — Étude after Chopin, [50], [269].
• — Fantaisien, op. 116, [67].
• — Fugue, op. 24, [47]-[48].
• — German Requiem, [2], [6], [44].
• — Horn trio, [19].
• — Hungarian Dances, [17], [18], [51].
• — Hungarian music, Brahms studies in, [20].
• — Intermezzi, [17], [61], [62], [67], [68]-[69], [70], [71].
• — Paganini studies, [281].
• — Paganini variations, [269].
• — Piano quintet, F minor, [6].
• — Piano studies, [17], [18], [49]-[51].
• — Piano trio in B, [32].
• — Rhapsodie in B minor, [15], [64]-[65].
• — Rhapsodie in G minor, [65]-[66].
• — Rhapsodies, [17], [59], [64], [229].
• — Rondo (Weber), “mouvement perpétuel,” [269].
• — Scherzo, [17], [24], [29], [30].
• — Sextet in B flat, [30].
• — Sonata in C major, op. 1, [12], [23], [24], [25].
• — Sonata in F minor, [6], [19], [27]-[28], [29]-[30].
• — Sonata in F sharp minor, [18], [25]-[27], [275].
• — Sonata from sextet in B flat, [30].
• — Songs, [31].
• — Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny), [2], [6].
• — Symphonies, [19], [44], [171].
• — Variations, op. 9, [31], [46]-[49].
• — Variations, first set, [35], [36]-[40].
• — Variations, op. 24 (Fugue by Handel), [47].
• — Variations, op. 21, [47]-[48].
• — Variations (Hungarian), [47].
• — Variations (Paganini), [48]-[49].
• — Waltzer, op. 39, [17], [40], [41]-[46].
• — Waltzer (Love-Song), [46].
• — Waltzer, op. 21, [76]-[77].
• — Waltzer, op. 118, [72]-[74].
• — Waltzer, op. 119, [74]-[75].
• Brahmsianer, [44]-[45].
• Brangäne, [294].
• Brassin, [241].
• Browning, [11], [65], [96], [165], [264].
• Bruno, [240].
• Buffon, [259].
• Burmeister, Richard, [191].
• Burton, [201].
• Byron, [95], [203].
• — Manfred, [93].

• Carnegie Hall, [87].
• Carpé, Adolph, “Phrasing and Accentuation of Piano-Playing,” [255].
• Chadzko, A., [215].
• Châteaubriand, [231].
• Childe, Roland, [66], [182].
• Chopin, F. F., [8], [16], [17], [20], [21], [22], [30], [39], [64], [82], [93], [101], [108], [115], [128], [146], [148], [160]-[223], [232], [241], [243], [247], [248], [249], [251], [253], [257], [259], [264], [265], [266], [267], [273], [274], [275], [277], [278], [279], [280].
• — Adaptability of music to piano, [218].
• — Admiration of Weber, [193].
• — Anticipation of Brahms, [58].
• — Aristocratic nature of, [204].
• — Arpeggi of, [224].
• — Ballades compared with Brahms’, [34].
• — Bibliography, [212]-[214].
• — Biography (Niecks), [211].
• — Coda, [182].
• — Compared to Beethoven, [178].
• — Compared to Childe Roland, [182].
• — Compared to Poe, [196]-[210].
• — Correspondence, [216].
• — Degrading of, [163].
• — Discoveries in chromatic harmonies, [164], [208].
• — Dreamer, The, [218], [219].
• — Early works, [197]-[198].
• — Editions of, [212].
• — French blood of, [84].
• — And George Sand, [160].
• — The Greater, [162].
• — Greatest works of, [173].
• — Influence of, [208].
• — Interpretation of, [212].
• — And Kalkbrenner, [192].
• — Last composition, [198].
• — Manipulation of mixed scales, [83].
• — Manliness of, [224].
• — Music of middle period, [15].
• — Musical influences of, [195].
• — Philipp’s arrangements of [277]-[281].
• — Piano music of, [15].
• — Pupils, [215].
• — Revolutionary study, [274].
• — Rubato, [219].
• — On Schumann’s Carneval, [194].
• — Speech to Louis Philippe’s Aide-de-camp, [195].
• — Temperament of, [10].
• — Tempi, [183]-[184].
• — Thalberg, meeting with, [192].
• — True and untrue, [211].
• — Use of chromatic scale, [83].
• — Use of harmonies, [83].
• — Wagnerian melody in, [164].
• Works:
• — Ballade in A flat, [165], [176].
• — Ballade in F major, [67], [166].
• — Ballade in F minor, [15], [166], [173], [222].
• — Ballade in G minor, [165].
• — Barcarolle, [172], [222].
• — Berçeuse, [15], [70], [171].
• — Bolero, [172].
• — Butterfly, The (G flat étude), [283].
• — Concertos, [186]-[192].
• — Concerto in E minor, [263], [279].
• — Concerto in F minor, [198].
• — Études, [15], [164], [166]-[167], [232], [255]-[256], [260], [284].
• — Étude in A flat, [75].
• — Étude in A, [277].
• — Étude in A minor, op. 10, [274], [277], [278], [280].
• — Étude in B minor (octave study), [278], [280].
• — Étude in B minor, [182].
• — Étude in C, [277].
• — Étude in C minor, op. 10, [164].
• — Étude in C minor, op. 25, [167], [173].
• — Étude, F major, op. 10, [261].
• — Étude, F minor, [278], [280].
• — Étude, F minor, op. 25, No. [2], [50], [77], [278].
• — Étude, G flat, [278].
• — Étude, G sharp minor, [250], [270].
• — Étude in sixths, op. 25, [282].
• — Fantasie, F minor, [15], [165], [222].
• — Fantasie, op. 49, [172].
• — Fantasie Impromptu, [167], [180].
• — Fantasie Polonaise, [164], [168], [220], [222].
• — Four ballades, [165].
• — Impromptus, [163], [167].
• — Mazourkas, [163], [167]-[168], [218], [222].
• — Mazourkas, op. 6, [197].
• — Mazourkas, op. 7, [198].
• — Mazourka, A minor, [198].
• — Nocturnes, [170], [198], [222].
• — Nocturne in B, [171].
• — Nocturne in C sharp, [218].
• — Nocturne in C sharp minor, [170], [171].
• — Nocturne in E, [171].
• — Nocturne in E flat, [163], [196], [206].
• — Nocturne F minor, [13].
• — Op. 2, [16].
• — Op. 10 and op. 25, [244].
• — Polonaises, [168].
• — Polonaise, A flat, [219].
• — Polonaise, C major, [197].
• — Polonaise, C minor, [219].
• — Polonaise, E flat minor, [222].
• — Polonaise, F sharp minor, [168]-[170], [193], [218], [219], [222].
• — Polonaise Fantasie, op. 61, [198].
• — Preludes, [15], [57], [162], [171]-[172], [251], [252], [261], [284].
• — Prelude, B flat minor, [222].
• — Prelude, C sharp minor, op. 45, [57].
• — Prelude, D minor, [175], [222].
• — Prelude, F minor, [222].
• — Rondos, op. 1 and 5, [197].
• — Scherzi, contrasted with Brahms’, [20].
• — Scherzo in B minor, op. 20, [173], [179].
• — Scherzo, op. 20, [173]-[186].
• — Scherzo in B minor, [15], [28], [173].
• — Scherzo in B flat minor, op. 31, [173], [176].
• — Scherzo in C sharp minor, [15], [173], [183]-[185], [222].
• — Scherzo in E major, op. 54, [173], [175].
• — Scherzo in E flat minor, [222]-[223].
• — Scherzo in 2d sonata, [173], [178]-[179].
• — Scherzo in 3d sonata, [173].
• — Sonata in B flat minor, [223], [272], [281].
• — Trio in G minor, op. 8, [198].
• — Valses, [222].
• — Valse in A flat, [40], [41], [175].
• — Valse in A minor, [40].
• — Valse in C sharp minor, [41].
• — Valse in D flat, [41], [163], [206].
• — Valse in E flat, [40].
• — Valse in E minor, [41], [283].
• — Variations, [196].
• — Variations (Là Ci Darem), [17].
• Chopin, Justine, [195].
• Chopin, Nicholas, [195].
• “Chopinisms in Tristan,” [165].
• Chauvinism in Russia, [85].
• City of the Dreadful Night (Thomson), [207].
• Claus, Wilhelmine, [52].
• Clementi, [163], [241], [243], [246], [248], [255], [264], [266], [272], [279].
• — Reforms of, [227].
• — Technics, [102].
• Works:
• — Études, [227], [284].
• — E flat study, [279].
• — Gradus, [224].
• Clemm, Maria, [200].
• Clough, Arthur H., [22].
• Coleridge, [185].
• Conquered Worm, The (Poe), [206].
• Conrad, Judge, [201].
• Cramer, [227], [241], [246], [248], [249], [254], [255], [264], [266], [272], [274], [279], [283].
• — Bülow edition of, [244].
• — Studies in E and C, [280].
• — Left-hand study in D minor, [280].
• — Studies, [284].
• Cui, Cesar, [83], [85].
• Czerny, [240], [255], [266], [268], [275], [276], [277].
• “Czerny unisons,” [112].
• Czerny daily exercises, [244].
• — School of legato and staccato, [244].
• — Toccata in C, [242], [250].