the unseen world and other essays-第60章
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er the voice to the piano。
Rightly considered； the question between vocal and instrumental music amounts to this； What does music express？ This is a great psychological question； and we have not now the space or the leisure requisite for discussing it； even in the most summary way。 We will say； however； that we do not see how music can in any way express ideas； or anything but moods or emotional states to which the ideas given in language may add determination and precision。 The pure symphony gives utterance to moods； and will be a satisfactory work of art or not； according as the composer has been actuated by a legitimate sequence of emotional states； like Beethoven； or by a desire to produce novel and startling effects； like Liszt。 But the danger in purely instrumental music is that it may run riot in the extravagant utterance of emotional states which are not properly concatenated by any normal sequence of ideas associated with them。 This is sometimes exemplified in the most modern instrumental music。
Now； as in real life our sequent clusters of emotional states are in general determined by their association with our sequent groups of intellectual ideas； it would seem that music； regarded as an exponent of psychical life； reaches its fullest expressiveness when the sequence of the moods which it incarnates in sound is determined by some sequence of ideas； such as is furnished by the words of a libretto。 Not that the words should have predominance over the music； or even coequal sway with it； but that they should serve to give direction to the succession of feelings expressed by the music。 〃Lift up your heads〃 and 〃Hallelujah〃 do not owe their glory to the text； but to that tremendous energy of rhythmic and contrapuntal progression which the text serves to concentrate and justify。 When precision and definiteness of direction are thus added to the powerful physical means of expression which we get in the combination of chorus； orchestra； and organ； we have attained the greatest sureness as well as the greatest wealth of musical expressiveness。 And thus we may see the reasonableness of Dommer's opinion that in order to restrain instrumental music from ruining itself by meaningless extravagance； it is desirable that there should be a renaissance of vocal music； such as it was in the golden age of Palestrina and Orlando Lasso。
We are not inclined to deny that in structural beautyin the symmetrical disposition and elaboration of musical themesthe symphony has the advantage。 The words； which in the oratorio serve to give definite direction to the currents of emotion； may also sometimes hamper the free development of the pure musical conception； just as in psychical life the obtrusive entrance of ideas linked by association may hinder the full fruition of some emotional state。 Nevertheless； in spite of this possible drawback； it may be doubted if the higher forms of polyphonic composition fall so very far short of the symphony in capability of giving full elaboration to the musical idea。 The practical testimony of Beethoven； in his Ninth Symphony； is decidedly adverse to any such supposition。
But to pursue this interesting question would carry us far beyond our limits。 Whatever may be the decision as to the respective claims of vocal and instrumental music； we have every reason for welcoming the appearance； in our own country； of an original work in the highest form of vocal music。 It is to be hoped that we shall often have the opportunity to 〃hear with our ears〃 this interesting work； for as a rule great musical compositions are peculiarly unfortunate among works of art； in being known at first hand by comparatively few persons。 In this way is rendered possible that pretentious kind of dilettante criticism which is so common in musical matters； and which is often positively injurious； as substituting a factitious public opinion for one that is genuine。 We hope that the favour with which the new oratorio has already been received will encourage the author to pursue the enviable career upon which he has entered。 Even restricting ourselves to vocal music； there is still a broad field left open for original work。 The secular cantataattempted in recent times by Schumann； as well as by English composers of smaller calibreis a very high form of vocal music； and if founded on an adequate libretto； dealing with some supremely grand or tragical situation； is capable of being carried to an unprecedented height of musical elaboration。 Here is an opportunity for original achievement； of which it is to be hoped that some gifted and well…trained composer； like the author of 〃St。 Peter；〃 may find it worth while to avail himself。
June； 1873。
XIII。 A PHILOSOPHY OF ART。＇65＇
＇65＇ The Philosophy of Art。 By H。 Taine。 New York： Leypoldt &； Holt。 1867。
We are glad of a chance to introduce to our readers one of the works of a great writer。 Though not yet＇66＇ widely known in this country； M。 Taine has obtained a very high reputation in Europe。 He is still quite a young man； but is nevertheless the author of nineteen goodly volumes； witty； acute； and learned； and already he is often ranked with Renan； Littre； and Sainte…Beuve； the greatest living French writers。
＇66＇ That is； in 1868。
Hippolyte Adolphe Taine was born at Vouziers； among the grand forests of Ardennes； in 1828； and is therefore about forty years old。 His family was simple in habits and tastes； and entertained a steadfast belief in culture； along with the possession of a fair amount of it。 His grandfather was sub…prefect at Rocroi； in 1814 and 1815； under the first restoration of the Bourbons。 His father； a lawyer by profession； was the first instructor of his son； and taught him Latin； and from an uncle； who had been in America； he learned English； while still a mere child。 Having gone to Paris with his mother in 1842； he began his studies at the College Bourbon and in 1848 was promoted to the ecole Normale。 Weiss； About； and Prevost…Paradol were his contemporaries at this institution。 At that time great liberty was enjoyed in regard to the order and the details of the exercises； so that Taine； with his surprising rapidity； would do in one week the work laid out for a month； and would spend the remainder of the time in private reading。 In 1851 he left college； and after two or three unsatisfactory attempts at teaching； in Paris and in the provinces； he settled down at Paris as a private student。 He gave himself the very best elementary preparation which a literary man can have；a thorough course in mathematics and the physical sciences。 His studies in anatomy and physiology were especially elaborate and minute。 He attended the School of Medicine as regularly as if he expected to make his daily bread in the profession。 In this way； when at the age of twenty…five he began to write books； M。 Taine was a really educated man； and his books show it。 The day is past when a man could write securely； with a knowledge of the classics alone。 We doubt if a philosophical critic is perfectly educated for his task； unless he can read； for instance； Donaldson's 〃New Cratylus〃 on the one hand； and Rokitansky's 〃Pathological Anatomy〃 on the other； for the sheer pleasure of the thing。 At any rate； it was an education of this sort which M。 Taine； at the outset of his literary career； had secured。 By this solid discipline of mathematics； chemistry； and medicine； M。 Taine became that which above all things he now is；a man possessed of a central philosophy； of an exact； categorical； well…defined system； which accompanies and supports him in his most distant literary excursions。 He does not keep throwing out ideas at random； like too many literary critics； but attaches all his criticisms to a common fundamental principle； in short； he is not a dilettante； but a savant。
His treatise on La Fontaine； in 1853； attracted much attention； both the style and the matter being singularly fresh and original。 He has since republished it； with alterations which serve to show that he can be docile toward intelligent criticisms。 About the same time he prepared for the French Academy his work upon the historian Livy； which was crowned in 1855。 Suffering then from overwork； he was obliged to make a sh
