[80] Gustav Mahler, from 1897 to 1907 director of the Opera at Vienna, has of late invited comment throughout the musical world because of the colossal form and daring orchestration of his symphonies. His present activity in New York should give American critics an excellent opportunity to estimate the importance of his contributions to musical art. Leo Blech is commanding favorable criticism particularly by his opera "Das war ich," while d'Albert's highly effective operas "Die Abreise" and "Flauto solo" are being performed on nearly every operatic stage in Germany. "Flauto solo" is winning popularity only secondary, perhaps, to that of Lehár's internationally favored operetta "Die lustige Witwe," which is at present going the rounds of the United States under its Anglicized title of "The Merry Widow."
[81] Another interesting and rather bold point of view in reference to the significance of Chabrier's undertakings is to the effect that "Chabrier was an inspired experimenter, but would never have become a master; nevertheless, his experiments are more valuable to art than the mastery of Saint-Saëns."
[82] See footnotes on pages [137] and [161] in reference to the masterly orchestration of Debussy and of Elgar.
[83] See [Appendix of Musical Illustrations], Examples [76] to [82].
[88] During the past two years particularly, Debussy's orchestral compositions have awakened much interest in France and in the United States, while his opera "Pelléas et Mélisande" to-day shares critical favor in Paris with Charpentier's "Louise." Both these operas are being performed in New York during the present season of 1907-1908.
The orchestration of "Pelléas et Mélisande" strengthens the previously formed conviction that Debussy is proving a worthy elaborator upon Saint-Saëns' lucid and refined methods. The key-note is transparency combined with an all-sufficient sonority. In a word, the cardinal feature of Debussy's scoring is the indispensability of each note, each phrase, each melody, even when assigned to the so-called secondary instruments of the orchestra—and this is by no means invariably the case in the scores of even such masters as Wagner, Elgar, Richard Strauss!