Chapter XIII

The universal development of musical art during the nineteenth century is indeed unprecedented. Side by side with the rise and growth of the New Movement in Germany, side by side with the high development of French lyric opera enhanced by advanced Teutonic principles, side by side with the gradual unfolding of Verdi's melodious and impassioned conceptions stands the evolution of scientifically applied Folk-tunes belonging to the younger musical countries.

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(1) =Hungary.= It cannot be said that Hungary possesses a national style of orchestration. Although Liszt and Goldmark were both Hungarians by birth, the former benefited his country not so much by developing an indigenous style of composition as by the propagation of those musical traits peculiar to his race. As to Goldmark's music, it is that of a German rather than of a Magyar. More faithful to native characteristics were the efforts of a small group of secondary composers. Their scores, like those of Liszt and Goldmark, contain plenty of variety and color, but owe their distinctive features to melodic and rhythmic novelty,--not to instrumentation. Hungary has, therefore, exerted no more than an indirect influence upon the art of orchestration.

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(2) =Bohemia.= The development of orchestration in Bohemia affords a striking contrast to that in Hungary. SMETANA, the pioneer, was content to employ comparatively simple means,--indeed, his scores occasionally reveal a suggestion of Mozart's naïve touch. On the other hand, his eminent successor, DVO[VR]ÁK, developed the art to a point excelled by none. The latter ranks among the four greatest orchestrators since Wagner. Like Smetana, Dvo[vr]ák evolved his music from the native folk-song. He was on the whole, an adherent to strict forms, but subjected these to the utmost freedom and originality of treatment. His greatest powers displayed themselves in the colossal development of orchestral resources. His orchestration is appropriate and consistent, varied, warm and brilliant. It abounds in beautiful combinations. It is rich but never overburdened. Further distinctive features include clear and bright string writing, methods of employing the wood-wind similar to those of Schubert, and an occasional touch of the supernatural suggestive of Spohr and Weber. In a word, Dvo[vr]ák was a master of vivacious and refined orchestration.

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(3) =Scandinavia.= The music of Scandinavia is likewise evolved from native folk-melodies. The Northern composers are not particularly dramatic nor have they developed many novel traits of instrumentation. They resemble the Hungarians in having wielded but an indirect influence upon orchestration, this influence being restricted to the indigenous properties of their melody, rhythm and local coloring. Their chief representatives are GADE, the pioneer, and his illustrious successor--GRIEG. The former, under the beneficial influence of Mendelssohn, developed high efficiency in the art of orchestration. He appreciated both the possibilities and the limitations of each instrument, and revealed his nationality by the application of suggestive tone-color. Grieg's instrumentation is not conspicuously influenced by modern tendencies. Though he cannot be ranked as a great orchestrator, his writing for strings alone is of surpassing beauty, nor does his deployment of larger forces lack novelty and effectiveness.

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(4) =Russia.= The gradual ascendency of Russian music is one of the phenomena of the nineteenth century. Here again the native folk-song forms the basis for scientific development. Russian composers may be divided into three classes:--the old lyric school,--the new Russian school,--Rubinstein and Tschaikowsky in a class by themselves.

GLINKA, pioneer of the old lyric school, accomplished for his country what Gade and Smetana did for theirs. His orchestration calls for but little comment excepting that it is clever and at times even brilliant.

The tenets of the "New Russian Movement" are closely allied to those of the "New German Movement." Chief representatives of this class are BORODIN, CESAR CUI, RIMSKI-KORSAKOFF. The orchestration of these men and their associates is, on the whole, but the reflection of Tschaikowsky's style combined with the further progressive methods of German and French orchestration.

RUBINSTEIN cannot be compared with Glinka as an operatic writer or with Tschaikowsky as an orchestrator. His instrumentation was hampered by his antagonism to the innovations of the New German Movement. In string writing, however, Rubinstein reveals fine appreciation of tone-color, and his full scoring at times displays superb power.

TSCHAIKOWSKY still reigns supreme as the greatest interpreter of Slavonic ideals. A remarkable feature of his scoring is the extreme modern effect secured with comparatively modest means. He expressed himself in a language of profound pathos which was in part due to the embodiment of weird and gloomy orchestration. He made prominent use of low wood-wind, which were constantly combined with the violas, and he evinced peculiar predilection for clarinets in their low range and bassoons in their upper range. On the other hand, many magnificent specimens of forceful writing are also in evidence in his scores.

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(5) =England.= Of the ten men chosen as representative English composers of the nineteenth century, six are prominently identified with the evolution of English orchestration. The pioneer of these was Macfarren, whose cosmopolitan range of composition is particularly noteworthy. Bennett, a disciple of Mendelssohn, proved himself a worthy heir to Purcell, and is regarded as the founder of a new English School. Most widely known is Sullivan, who substantially aided the development of an Anglican style of orchestration. Sullivan based his methods of instrumentation upon those of Mozart, but occasionally copied Gounod and even Berlioz. He displayed sound musicianship, dramatic power, and a thorough command of orchestral resources. Mackenzie's conceptions are wholly orchestral. His scoring is powerful and effective, allowing also commendable freedom to the wood-wind, and suggests a mixture of Mendelssohnian and Wagnerian externals. Cowen is an exponent of both absolute and programmatic music. He shares with Stanford the rank of representative English symphonist.

The twentieth century gives promise of marked advance in English composition from an emotional and orchestral standpoint as discovered in the initial productions of Elgar.

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(6) =America.= America and Russia are the two countries that have forged to the front in musical art during the past quarter century. Until the shackles of English conservatism and of Puritan dogmas were thrown off, little could be done in the way of preparing for a national school of composition. But with the ever increasing influx of German musicians, American composers were stimulated to extend their horizon, so that at the present day one can point to a host of cultured and highly educated musicians who are devoting themselves to the furtherance of national art. Many of them have displayed rare skill as orchestral writers, but comparatively few have as yet been sufficiently fortunate to acquire wide-spread recognition in this branch. The list of pioneer composers and promoters includes Lowell and William Mason, Bristow, Gottschalk, C.C. Converse, Paine, Lang, and Emery. A somewhat arbitrary selection of representative orchestrators includes Paine, Buck, Foote, Chadwick, MacDowell, Parker. The pioneer of America's great composers is Paine. His opera "Azara" may be regarded as his representative work, and is conspicuous for its dramatic continuity, irresistible climaxes, dignity and breadth of musical contents, consistent and effective orchestration. Buck is prominently identified with the evolution of American church music. The orchestration of his choral compositions reveals the firm hand of a master. Foote appears to best advantage when writing chamber and orchestral music. He does not aim to produce sensational effects, yet clothes his artistic conceptions in appropriate orchestral garment. Chadwick's music is above all manly and energetic. His form, though conservative, is well rounded. His orchestration is chaste and refined rather than sensational and glowing. He has proved himself a keen judge of those essentials required for large instrumental works. MacDowell's music possesses certain characteristics that distinguish it from that of any other American composer. His education has been thoroughly cosmopolitan. He aims to induce poetic imagination symbolic of emotional reality. His chord formations, harmonic progressions, thematic treatment, and structural form are all in accord with the psychological subtleties to be expressed. His orchestration is one of his strongest attributes; though founded upon that of Raff, it possesses also the charming touch of the modern French school. Parker has risen to eminence through his choral writings, and is the best known American writer in England. He wields his orchestral forces with no uncertain hand, but does not allow tone-color in its own right to predominate in his choral works. Further prominent writers for the orchestra are Gilchrist, Gleason, Foerster, Beck, Bird, Kelley, Schoenefeld, Zeck, van der Stucken, Mrs. Beach, F.S. Converse, Huss, Hadley. Until recently the larger number of orchestral conductors in the United States were foreigners, but the Americans are gradually taking the reins into their own hands. The present display of musical activity in America is unprecedented. The schools, the colleges, the churches, the concert hall, the dramatic stage are all preparing the way for the ascendency of the American composer.