Part 43 (1/2)
(ACCOMPANYING THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS.)
Reported by Miss Poeta Pants.
I.--THE NEAPOLITAN SIXTH.
Mr. Criticus Flub-Dubbe's program study cla.s.s began the season yesterday afternoon with every member present and keenly attentive. After a preparatory sketch of old Italian music, Mr. Dubbe told us about the Neapolitan Sixth, which, he said had exercised so strong an influence on music that, if Naples had never done anything else, this alone would have insured to the city fame in history.
”The Neapolitan Sixth,” said Mr. Dubbe, ”is so called because the composers of the Neapolitan school of opera were the first to introduce it freely. D. and A. Scarlatti were at the head of the school and were well-known musicians. Bach, who was not so well known, also used this sixth.”
”Which used it first?” asked Mrs. Givu A. Payne.
”Bach, of course,” replied Mr. Dubbe. ”Bach used everything first.”
”Dear old Bach!” exclaimed Miss Georgiana Gush.
”The Neapolitan Sixth,” continued Mr. Dubbe, ”is usually found in the first inversion; hence the name, the sixth indicating the first inversion of the chord.”
”How clever!” said Mrs. Gottem-Allbeat.
”It is an altered chord, the altered tone being the super-tonic. The real character of the chord is submediant of the subdominant key; that is, it is a major chord, and the use of such a major chord in the solemn minor tonalities is indicative of the superficiality of the Italian school--a desire for a change from the strict polyphonic music of the times. Even the stern Bach was influenced.”
”The Italians are so frivolous,” said Mrs. Boru-Stiffe.
”A reign of frivolity ensued,” went on Mr. Dubbe. ”Not only was Italian music influenced by this sixth, but Italian art, architecture, sculpture, even material products. Take, for example, Neapolitan ice-cream. Observe the influence of the sixth. The cream is made in three color tones--the vanilla being the subdominant, as the chord is of subdominant character; the strawberry being the submediant, and the restful green the lowered supertonic or altered tone.”
”What is the pineapple ice?” asked Miss Gay Votte.
”The pineapple ice is the twelfth overtone,” replied Mr. Dubbe.
”There doesn't seem to be anything that Mr. Dubbe doesn't know,”
whispered Mrs. Fuller-Prunes to me with a smile.
I should say there wasn't!
After the lecture we had a lovely hand-made luncheon. Miss Ellenborough presided at the doughnuts and Mrs. G. Clef poured. It was such a helpful hour.
II.
”You remember,” said Mr. Dubbe, ”that Herr Weidig, in his lecture on the wood winds, gave a double ba.s.soon ill.u.s.tration from Brahms' 'Chorale of St. Anthony,' which you are to hear to-day. But Herr Weidig neglected to mention the most interesting point in the ill.u.s.tration--that the abysmal-toned double ba.s.soon calls attention to the devil-possessed swine, St. Anthony being the patron saint of swine-herds. I want you to listen carefully to this swine motive. It is really extraordinary.” Mr.
Dubbe wrote the motive on the blackboard and then played it on his double ba.s.soon, which, he said, is one of the very few in this country.
”The ba.s.soon,” said Mr. Dubbe, ”was Beethoven's favorite instrument. I go further than Beethoven in preferring the double ba.s.soon. Among my unpublished ma.n.u.scripts are several compositions for this instrument, and my concerto for two double ba.s.soons is now in the hands of a Berlin publisher.
”But to recur to the Brahms chorale. You should know that it makes the second best variations in existence. The best are in the Heroic Symphony. The third best are Dvorak's in C major.”
”C. Major--that's the man who wrote 'Dorothy Vernon,'” giggled Miss Vera Cilly.
”I am not discussing ragtime variations,” said Mr. Dubbe, severely.
”Not knocking anybody,” whispered Miss Gay Votte.