This work does not profess to be so much a literal translation as a somewhat free version of Dr Bie’s “Das Klavier.” The author, writing as he does for a German public, naturally uses a more philosophic style than would be generally intelligible in England. Availing themselves, therefore, of Dr Bie’s kind permission, the Editors, with a view to making the book more acceptable to English readers, have allowed themselves considerable liberty both in omission and in addition. For all portions of the text which are enclosed in square brackets they hold themselves responsible. The footnotes, except a few which are specially marked, have been added by Dr Naylor.
E. W. N.
E. E. K.
Contents
| Chap. | Page | |
| I. | Old England—A Prelude | [1] |
| The Domestic Character of the Piano, p. [2]. Queen Elizabeth at theSpinet, p. [3]. Shakespeare and Music, p. [5]. Mediæval ChurchMusic, p. [7]. Ecclesiastical use of Folk Songs, p. [8]. Popular ContrapuntalMusic, p. [9]. The Folk Song and the Instrument, p. [10].The Organ and the Lute, p. [11]. The Clavier and Secular Music,p. [12]. Italian influence in England, p. [13]. Cultivation of Music inEngland, p. [15]. First Books of Clavier Music, p. [16]. Classes ofold English Pieces, p. [17]. The Virginal, p. [18]. History of theClavier, p. [19]. The Clavichord, p. [21]. The Clavicymbal, p. [23].Virginal Pieces, p. [26]. Thomas Tallis, p. [27]. William Bird, p. [28].John Bull, p. [32]. Other Composers, p. [38]. | ||
| II. | Old French Dance Pieces | [40] |
| England and France, p. [41]. The Dance, p. [43]. The Dance andCommon Life, p. [43]. The Dance and the Stage, p. [45]. The Danseuses,p. [45]. Allusions in Dance Names, p. [48]. Old Programme-Music,p. [49]. The Titles, p. [51]. Chambonnières, p. [52]. Couperin,p. [53]. Rameau and others, p. [65]. | ||
| III. | Scarlatti | [68] |
| A Preface by Scarlatti, p. [68]. His Life, p. [70]. His Style and theItalian Musical Emotion, p. [71]. Technique, p. [73]. Love of Adventure,p. [74]. The Opera, p. [75]. The position of Music, p. [77].Chamber Music, p. [78]. Clavier Pieces, p. [79]. Frescobaldi andPasquini, p. [80]. Corelli, p. [82]. The Da Capo Style, p. [84]. Scarlatti’sSonatas, p. [86]. Other Italians, p. [89]. | ||
| IV. | Bach | [91] |
| German Music, p. [91]. Kuhnau, p. [92]. Bach and Musical History,p. [93]. Bach’s Life, p. [94]. His Formal Principle, p. [95]. TheInventions and Symphonies, p. [97]. The Toccatas, p. [98]. TheFugues, p. [100]. The Wohltemperiertes Klavier, p. [101]. The OriginalEditions, p. [102]. The Suites, p. [104]. The Fantasias, p. [109]. Bach’sForms, p. [111]. Technique, p. [116]. The Hammer Clavier, p. [121].Bach and the Modern Pianoforte, p. [112]. | ||
| V. | The “Galanten” | [126] |
| The Change of Taste, p. [127]. The “Professional Musician,” p. [129].Spread of Clavier Music, p. [131]. Musical Periodicals, p. [131]. PianoforteFactories, p. [133]. Stein and Streicher, p. [134]. Handel, p. [137].Philip Emanuel Bach, p. [138]. Haydn, p. [149]. Mozart, p. [151]. | ||
| VI. | Beethoven | [157] |
| Beethoven Contrasted with the old Composers of the Empire, p. [159].Cosmopolitan Life of the Pianist, p. [161]. Viennese Pianists, p. [160].Public Contests of Pianists, p. [161]. Dussek, p. [164]. The Sonataof the Time, p. [165]. Beethoven’s Nature, p. [167]. Music as aSpeech, [167]. The “Development” of Motives, p. [171]. Rise of theTragic Sonata, p. [172]. The Sportive Beethoven, p. [173]. His Forms,p. [175]. His Archaism, p. [177]. His tendency to the “Galant” style,p. [179]. His Last Works, p. [181]. | ||
| VII. | The Virtuosos | [183] |
| Beethoven’s Technique, p. [183]. The Clavier Schools of this period, p.[185]. The groups of Technicians, p. [189]. The Life of the Virtuoso,p. [192]. Concerts and Improvisations, p. [196]. Compositions, p. [197].Piano and Opera, p. [201]. The Étude, p. [203]. Clementi, p. [208].Cramer, p. [210]. Hummel, p. [211]. Czerny, p. [216]. Kalkbrenner,p. [218]. Weber, p. [218]. Moscheles, p. [221]. | ||
| VIII. | The Romantics | [224] |
| Romance, p. [224]. Franz Schubert, p. [225]. Robert Schumann, p.[231]. Early Works, p. [231]. Jean Paul, p. [232]. “Davidsbund,” p.[235]. Private Life, p. [237]. The “Neue Zeitschrift für Musik,” p.[238]. “Davidsbündler Tänze,” p. [238]. “Carnival,” p. [240]. Fsharp minor Sonata, p. [241]. “Fantasie Stücke,” p. [242]. “ÉtudesSymphoniques,” p. [242]. Bach and E. T. A. Hoffmann, p. [244].Kreisleriana, p. [245]. Op. [17], p. [246]. “Novellettes,” p. [248]. Mendelssohn,p. [249]. “Faschings-schwank,” and later Works, p. [254].Chopin, p. [255]. His Art, p. [257]. His Life, p. [258]. George Sand,p. [259]. Works, p. [261]. Style of Playing, p. [264]. Field, p. [265].Chopin’s Method, p. [266]. [Sterndale Bennett], p. [268]. | ||
| IX. | Liszt and the Present Time | [271] |
| Liszt and the three Types of Artists, p. [272]. Life, p. [274]. Liszt andThalberg, p. [277]. A Pianist’s Creed, p. [281]. Paganini and Liszt, p.[282]. Liszt’s Concerts, p. [286]. Piano Works, p. [287]. The Interpretersp. [292]. Virtuosos of Older Style, p. [293]. Rubinstein andBülow, p. [294]. Virtuoso and Teacher, p. [299]. Tausig and d’Albert,p. [301]. Modern Virtuosos, p. [301]. Risler, p. [301]. The Pianist’sProfession, p. [302]. The Piano as a Social Factor, p. [303]. PianoInstruction, p. [305]. The Practical and Theoretical Schools, p. [306].The Common or “C major” keyboard compared with the “Janko,”p. [308]. Present-day Piano Factories, p. [310]. Steinway and Bechstein,p. [311]. The Piano as a piece of Furniture, p. [313]. Pianos de luxe,p. [315]. The Market for Piano Literature, p. [316]. Modern PianoWorks, p. [317]. Alkan, p. [317]. The Post-Romantics, p. [318]. TheFrench School, p. [319]. The Russians, p. [320]. The Scandinavians,p. [321]. The English and Americans, p. [322]. The Germans, p. [322].Jensen, p. [322]. Brahms, p. [322]. Raff, p. [323]. Living Germans,p. [324]. Conclusion, p. [326]. | ||
| Author’s Postscript: and Errata | [328] | |
| Index | [329] | |
| List of Illustrations | [334] | |
Guido of Arezzo and his protector, Bishop Theodal, playing on
a Monochord. Vienna Hofbibliothek.
Old England: a Prelude
[The drift of the remarks immediately following, which the author entitles a “Prelude,” is, that Music is at the present time flourishing more at home than in public; that the playing of chamber compositions is more popular than the representation of huge operas; and that therefore it is a suitable time to consider the history and scope of the instrument which, more than all others, has made possible this cultivation of domestic music. He begins then by contrasting the huge performances of Wagnerian drama at Bayreuth with what he calls the “intimate” character of a private pianoforte recital at home.]
Those were great days in which the foundation-stone was laid at Bayreuth. Days in which the creative philosopher of the stage threw his sceptre over the Ninth Symphony; days when choice spirits met together, who tremblingly passed through the moment in which they saw something never heard of become reality; days of a joyous intoxication when Liszt and Wagner embraced each other with tears; days that Nietzsche calls the happiest he had ever spent, when something brooded in the air that he could trace nowhere else—something ineffable but full of hope—those days, alas! return no more. In those days music, that music which the million greet with cheers of rapture, stood enthroned on the Stage, which gives to art its public hold upon the world. The living, new-creating music has to-day once more fled to the concert hall, to the haughty and more select rows of aristocratic amateurs who listen to the symphonic poems of Richard Strauss. These are tender and delicate creations beside the dramas of Wagner. They are elves, they elude us, and there are those, who see them not. We have been driven to them as the highest musical expressions of our time.