Part 11 (1/2)
_S.G. Pratt._
Almost every musician has heard of Christopher Columbus, and holds him in a certain esteem as a man without whose push the invention of America would have been long deferred; but few American musicians have felt under a sufficient debt of grat.i.tude to make his troubles and triumphs the foundation of an appropriate musical work. Silas G. Pratt was bold enough to undertake the monumental task; and he expended upon it large resources of scholars.h.i.+p, research, and enthusiasm. The work was performed at New York during the Quadricentennial of the discovery of America.
If Pratt had been born in old Egypt, he would have found his chief diversion in the building of pyramids, so undismayed is he by the size of a task. His patriotism is a sharp spur to him, and has enabled him to write an orchestral composition devoted to Paul Revere's Ride; a fantasy descriptive of a battle between the Northern and Southern armies; ”The Battle of Manila;” ”The Anniversary Overture,” in commemoration of the centennial of American Independence, performed in Berlin twice, and in London at the Crystal Palace, during Grant's visit there; and a march called by the curious name of ”Homage to Chicago.” Besides these works Pratt has written the ”Magdalen's Lament,” his first orchestral composition, suggested by Murillo's picture; the lyric opera, ”Antonio;” a first symphony, of which the adagio was performed in Berlin, the other movements being produced in Boston and Chicago; a second symphony, ”The Prodigal Son;” a romantic opera, ”Zen.o.bia,” produced in Chicago; a lyric opera, ”Lucille,” which ran for three weeks in Chicago; a symphonic suite based on the ”Tempest;” a canon for a string quartette; a serenade for string orchestra; a grotesque suite, ”The Brownies,” produced in New York and at Brighton Beach by Anton Seidl. Besides these works of musical composition, Pratt has delivered various musical lectures, ingeniously contrived to entertain the great public and at the same time inform it. He has been active also in the organization of various musical enterprises, among them the Apollo Club of Chicago.
Pratt was born in Addison, Vermont, August 4, 1846. At the age of twelve, he was thrown on his own resources, and connected himself with music publis.h.i.+ng houses in Chicago. After various public performances, he went to Germany in 1868, to study the piano under Bendel and Kullak, and counterpoint under Kiel. In 1872 he returned to Chicago and gave a concert of his own works. But the phoenix city had not entirely preened its wings after the great fire of 1871, and Pratt found no support for his ambitions. After teaching and giving concerts, he returned to Germany in 1875, where he attended the rehearsals of Wagner's Trilogy at Bayreuth, met Liszt here, and gave a recital of his own compositions at Weimar. His ”Anniversary Overture”
was cordially received by the press of both Berlin and London. A third visit to Europe was made in 1885 for the production of the ”Prodigal Son” at the Crystal Palace, on the occasion of which, Berthold Tours wrote that both the symphony and the ”Anniversary Overture” were ”grandly conceived works, full of striking originality, modern harmony, flowing melody, and beautiful, as well as imposing effects.”
Activity along such lines has left Pratt little time for the smaller forms of composition; a few have been published, among them the song, ”Dream Vision,” in which Schumann's ”Traumerei” is used for violin obbligato; and a few piano pieces, such as ”Six Soliloquies,” with poetic text. In these each chord shows careful effort at color, and the work is chromatic enough to convince one that he has studied his Bach thoroughly.
Among his ma.s.sive compositions there are two that seem likely to win, as they surely deserve, a long life. These are the symphonic suite, ”The Tempest,” and the ”Prodigal Son.” To the latter splendid achievement, A.J. Goodrich devotes several pages of his ”Musical a.n.a.lysis,” to which I can do no better than to refer the reader. The ”Tempest” is based, of course, on Shakespeare's play, and is described as follows by the composer:
”It is intended, in the first movement, Adagio, to typify the sorrow of Prospero, and his soul's protest against the ingrat.i.tude and persecution of his enemies. His willing attendant Ariel is briefly indicated in the closing measures.
The Pastoral furnishes an atmosphere or stage setting for the lovers, Miranda and Ferdinand, whose responsive love-song follows the droning of a shepherd's pipe in the distance.
Prospero's interruption to their pa.s.sionate a.s.surances of devotion, and the imposition of the unpleasant task, are briefly touched upon, and the movement closes with a repeat of the pastoral, and alternate reiteration of the lover's song. The Finale, after a short introduction, in most sombre vein, indicates the flitting about of Ariel and his companion sprites as they gather for revelry. The presence of the master is soon made apparent by the recurrence, in a subdued manner, of Prospero's first theme from the Adagio, the fantastic tripping of the elves continuing, as though the controlling spirit were conjuring up the fete for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the lovers and himself.
”'Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves; And ye that on the sand, with printless foot Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him When he comes back.'
”The dance then begins, and continues in a fantastic, at times grotesque and furious manner, the theme of the lovers being interwoven at times, in an un.o.btrusive way. At length, Caliban is heard approaching, singing his drunken song.
””Ban, 'Ban, Ca-caliban Has a new master: get a new man.'
”Ariel and his companions flit about, ridiculing, mocking, and laughing at him; eventually prodding and pinching him until, s.h.i.+vering, with aching joints, he staggers away. The revelry then continues, the song of the lovers becoming more and more prominent until, somewhat broadened out, it a.s.serts itself triumphantly above all, Ariel and his companions flitting about, Prospero happy, and Caliban subjugated, all the chief themes being united to form the climax and close of the work.”
Although Pratt intentionally omitted the English horn and the ba.s.s clarinet, the scoring is remarkable for its color and faery. The work is highly lyrical in effect, and the woodsiness is beautifully established. The solemnity of Prospero, the adroitness of the lovers and the contrasting natures of the volatile Ariel and the sprawling Caliban, make up a cast of characters in the development of which music is peculiarly competent. The stertorous monologue of Caliban and his hobbling dance, and the taunting and pinching torment he is submitted to, make excellent humor.
_Henry K. Hadley._
[Ill.u.s.tration: HENRY K. HADLEY.]
The word symphony has a terrifying sound, particularly when it is applied to a modern work; for latter-day music is essentially romantic in nature, and it is only a very rare composer that has the inclination or the ability to force the cla.s.sic form to meet his new ideas. The result is that such a work usually lacks spontaneity, conviction. The modern writer does much better with the symphonic poem.
The number of American symphonies worth listening to, could be counted on the fingers with several digits to spare. A new finger has been preempted by Henry K. Hadley's symphony called ”Youth and Life.” The t.i.tle is doubly happy. Psychologically it is a study of the intense emotional life of youth, written by an American youth,--a young man who, by the way, strangely reminds one, in his appearance, of Macmonnies' American type, as represented by his ideal statue of Nathan Hale.
And musically the work is imbued with both youth and life. It has blood and heart in it. The first movement is a conflict between good and evil motives struggling like the mediaeval angels for the soul of the hero. The better power wins triumphantly. The second movement, however, shows doubt and despair, remorse and deep spiritual depression. The climax of this feeling is a death-knell, which, smitten softly, gives an indescribably dismal effect, and thrills without starting. Angelus bells in pedal-point continue through a period of hope and prayer; but remorse again takes sway. The ability to obtain this fine solemnity, and follow it with a scherzo of extraordinary gaiety, proves that a genius is at large among us. The Scherzo displays a thigh-slapping, song-singing _abandon_ that typifies youthful frivolity fascinatingly. A fugue is used incidentally with a burlesque effect that reminds one of Berlioz'
”Amen” parody in the ”d.a.m.nation of Faust.” The Finale exploits motives of ambition and heroism, with a moment of love. The climax is vigorous. Without being at all ariose, the symphony is full of melody.
Its melodies are not counterpoint, but expression; and each instrument or choir of instruments is an individuality.
Hadley is galvanic with energy and optimism, dextrous to a remarkable degree in the mechanism of composition. His scoring is mature, fervent, and certain. His symphony is legitimately programmatic and alive with brains, biceps, and blood,--all three,--the three great B's of composition.
Hadley was born at Somerville, Ma.s.s., in 1871. His father was a teacher of music and gave him immediate advantages. He studied harmony with Stephen A. Emery, counterpoint with G.W. Chadwick, and the violin with Henry Heindl and Charles N. Allen of Boston. Before attaining his majority, he had completed a dramatic overture, a string quartette, a trio, and many songs and choruses. In 1894 he went to Vienna and studied composition with Mandyczewski. Here he composed his third suite for the orchestra. In 1896 he returned to America and took charge of the music department of St. Paul's school at Garden City, L.I. He has had some experience as a conductor and has been very prolific in composition. His first symphony was produced under the direction of Anton Seidl, in December, 1897; and at a concert of his own compositions, again, in January, 1900, Hadley conducted this symphony, and also two movements from his second symphony, ”The Seasons.” These two movements show a mellower technic, perhaps, but are less vital. He has written three ballet suites with p.r.o.nounced success, the work being musical and yet full of the ecstasy of the dance. His third ballet suite, which is the best, was produced at a concert of the American Symphony Orchestra, under Sam Franko.
The existence of a festival march, a concert overture, ”Hector and Andromache,” two comic operas, and six songs for chorus and orchestra, besides a number of part songs and piano pieces, and over one hundred songs, forty of which are published, gives proof of the restless energy of the man. The high average of scholars.h.i.+p is a proof of his right to serious acceptance.
A cantata for orchestra, ”Lelewala,” a legend of Niagara, is published for piano accompaniment. Now, Niagara is a dangerous subject for the frail skiffs of rhyme, prose, or music to launch out upon. Barrel staves may carry one through the whirlpool, but music staves cannot stand the stress. Of all the comments upon the Falls of Niagara that I have ever read, or heard of, there has been only one that seemed anything but ridiculously inappropriate; that one was the tribute of a young boy who, on standing face to face with the falls, simply exclaimed, in an awe-smothered whisper, ”Well, by gos.h.!.+” But it must be admitted that these words would baffle the music-making propensities even of the composer of Handel's ”Hallelujah Chorus.”
That learned composer, George F. Bristow, now dead, made the mistake of attempting to compa.s.s Niagara in a work for chorus and orchestra.
Hadley is not exactly guilty of the same fatal attempt in his ”Lelewala,” for the poem is chiefly a story of love and sacrifice; but Niagara comes in as a programmatic incident, and the author of the text has fallen lamentably short of his subject in certain instances.
In other moments, he has written with genuine charm, and the music has much that is worth while.