First Principles of Music
G. G., F. J. Read · The Musical Times · 1919
out.As to the principle involved, it must be remembered that composers have often been remiss in regard to putting their ideas on paper.They have frequently peppered their pages with accidentals when a change of key-signature would have left the music diatonic.Often an otherwise comparatively easy piece is made impracticable by a few difficult bars that yield little return for a great deal of trouble.Sometimes the laying out for the keyboard has been ungrateful.Mr. Button's skill in matters pertaining to the printed page is well known, and he has turned it to good account in this series.So far eight numbers have been published: Rachmaninov's C sharp minor Prelude, the 'Parsifal' Prelude, the ' Prize Song' from the ' Meistersingers,' Schumann's Romance in F sharp, Chopin's Funeral March, Wieniawski's Legend, Liszt's second Hungarian Rhapsody, and Raff's ' La Fileuse.' Space will not permit of a full description of Mr. Button's methods of smoothing the path of the amateur, but a word is due to the most remarkable of the series-Schumann's 'Romance.'Originally written in F sharp, on three staves, it appears here in G, on two staves, and (it seems incredible) not a note has been added or taken away !It looks, and is, quite easy to play, and of course sounds exactly the same as the original.This method of popularising good music is new, and, in some cases, debateable.But there can be no question of the practical success of the works so far Buttonised.Among the most acceptable novelties of last season's Promenade Concerts were the 'Stella-Mary Dances' of Ernest Austin.These six charming little pieces have now been arranged for pianoforte duet (published in separate numbers) and pianoforte solo (in three sets).The duet version, which lies before me, is about as difficult as Moszkowski's 'Spanish Dances.'Here and there I miss some of the orchestral colouring which was such a feature of the original version, but the music is so tuneful that it bears the test of pianoforte transcription remarkably well.With their delightfully fresh harmony and rhythm, and their happy turn of melody, the dances should make many friends in their new form.Teachers who (wisely) play duets with their pupils will find them a boon.The pieces by H. Baynton-Power are of the rather easy type suitable for teaching purposes.They are more notable than such pieces are wont to be, because the composer has an unusually happy knack of writing this kind of music.Easy as they are, they have plenty of genuine interest.The titles are ' Twilight Stories' (four pieces), ' Pastoral Legend,' ' Rose of the Desert,' 'Romantic Prelude,' and 'Echoes in the Valley.'The first are easy, the rest moderately difficult.Those of us whose pupillage was many years ago, look back with a sigh when we remember how little good recreative material there was for our young fingers beyond Clementi's Sonatinas.And they.were not very stimulating !Children of to-day expect a great variety of jam to help down the powder.They will enjoy the Baynton-Power brand.Frank Bridge's three pieces for the left-hand are dedicated to Douglas Fox, a brilliant young organist who lost his right arm in the war.There are, unfortunately, many other musicians maimed in such a way as to cut them off from the ordinary instrumental repertory.Those who are good players and fond of modern music will be grateful for these Improvisations.They are difficult, and cover so much of the keyboard that at first sight they look like ordinary twohanded music.But much may be done by the pedals, and we know how great a facility is obtained by handicapped players.The three pieces are entitled 'At Dawn,' ' A Vigil,' and 'A Revel.' Apart from their special object, they should prove valuable to players who wish to develop their lefthand.