BACH, BEETHOVEN, CHOPIN, SCHUMANN, LISZT.
The fullness with which the characteristics of the different composers
have been treated in the preceding chapters of this course leaves
little to be said in this final summing up, since the only element of
the present program which we have not already had in combination with
the others is that of Liszt, itself fully treated in the previous
chapter.
We have now arrived at a point where a completely developed recital
program, according to modern ideas, can be presented, and this upon a
great variety of grades of difficulty. As an illustration, three
programs are given. The first contains nothing of greater difficulty
than the fifth grade, and is, therefore, within the reach of pianists
of very moderate abilities. The second is of a more difficult
character, involving technic up to the eighth or ninth grade, and
requiring more experience and brilliant capacity. The third program is
a fully developed recital, such as an artist might play. In so far as
regards the mechanical difficulties of the last program, they are not
beyond the reach of the better class of pianists, as we find them
almost anywhere; but from an artistic point of view the interpretations
require a good deal of musical maturity.
PROGRAM I. (Easy.)
Bach,
Prelude and Fugue in D major. Clavier, No. 5.
Saraband in E minor.
Loure in G major. (Heinze.)
Beethoven,
Sonata in G major, opus 14, No. 2.
Chopin,
Impromptu in A-flat, opus 29.
Nocturne in B major, opus 15.
Schumann,
Forest Scenes: "Entrance," "Wayside Inn," "Homeward."
Nachtstück in F, opus 23, No. 4.
Wagner-Liszt,
Spinning Song, from "The Flying Dutchman."
PROGRAM II. (Moderate.)
Bach,
Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp major. Clavier, No. 3.
Beethoven,
Sonata in A-flat major, opus 26.
Schumann,
Fancy Pieces, opus 12: "In the Evening," "Soaring," "Why?"
"Whims," "End of the Song."
Chopin,
Prelude in D-flat; Scherzo in B-flat minor.
Liszt,
"A Dream of Love" (No. 3); Eighth Hungarian Rhapsody.
PROGRAM III. (Difficult.)
Bach-Liszt,
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor. (Organ.)
Beethoven,
Sonata in C minor, opus 111.
Chopin,
Fantasia Impromptu in C-sharp minor, opus 66.
Studies, opus 10, Nos. 3, 5, and 12.
Nocturne in G major, opus 37.
Schumann,
"Kreisleriana," opus 16, Nos. 1 and 2.
Liszt,
"Eclogue," "Au Bord D'Un Source."
"The Erl King." (Schubert.)
In all these programs, except the second, the order observed is that of
Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, and Liszt. When forming a program
to be played before those not accustomed to classic music, it is quite
practicable to make a combination on a different plan, beginning with a
combination of three pieces by Bach, Chopin, and Schumann or Liszt, or
Bach, Schumann, and Chopin. These could be followed by a serious
Beethoven work, such as one of the larger sonatas; and this again by a
few small pieces, in order to relieve the overtaxed attention; the
whole concluding with a Hungarian rhapsody or some other brilliant
piece. The advantage of this arrangement is that the audience does not
have to wait so long before arriving at music which pleases.
In the ordinary arrangement--as that in the programs above--the program
follows a systematic development from the beginning to the end, in the
direction of greater freedom of expression and more brilliancy and
adaptability to the pianoforte; so the music becomes more and more
pleasing all the way through, and the only trouble is a fear lest the
early pieces may prove too severe to those who are not accustomed to
listening to music of this kind. In the case of musical clubs, and
other places where the study of art is the principal motive, this fear
is not entitled to any weight, since when it is designed to present
programs of serious works, requiring to be understood and to be heard
several times before their full meaning is apparent to the listener, a
certain amount of preliminary analysis or study ought to be done,
either by members of the club separately or by the club together in a
sort of preliminary rehearsal by a competent person, who will both play
the works in fragments and comment upon their peculiarities. As an
illustration of a program arranged on the plan last mentioned, the
following is presented:
1. Bach, Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp major, Clavier No. 3. Chopin,
Fantasia Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Valse in A-flat, opus 42.
2. Beethoven, "Sonata Appassionata," opus 57.
3. Grieg, "Butterflies." Wm. Mason, "Reverie Poetique," "The Silver
Spring."
4. Schumann, "Traumes Wirren," "End of the Song," opus 12. Liszt,
Second Hungarian Rhapsody.
This could be played in two numbers, pausing after the sonata; or,
better, in four, pausing after the Chopin valse, the sonata, and the
Mason "Silver Spring." Each number is pleasing by itself.
A certain amount of care has been taken in the easy program to
illustrate different phases of all the writers; accordingly, the Bach
illustration begins with the Prelude and Fugue in D major, which is a
very pleasing one, followed by the short Saraband in E minor, and this
again by the Loure in G major. The saraband is of a very serious and
melodious turn, and is about as near a sustained lyric melody as Bach
ever got upon the piano. In writing for the violin he reaches a higher
flight in several cases.
In the most difficult program of all, we open with the Bach-Liszt
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, which, having originally been composed
for the organ with a difficult pedal part, becomes very much more
difficult when put upon the piano for two hands alone. This is a very
remarkable work indeed, the fantasia being full of chromatic changes
and very expressive and thoroughly modern modulations and sequences.
It is almost as modern a work as the "Chromatic Fantasia." The fugue
is remarkable for having a very long subject, which is almost a gavotte
in its rhythm; and the splendid subject is developed with charming
freedom. It is one of the greatest favorites of all the Bach fugues,
and when arranged for orchestra--as has been done by Abert--it is one
of the most pleasing numbers in the entire orchestral repertory, never
failing of delighting an audience. The Beethoven sonata in this
program (opus 111, in C minor) is the last one which that great master
wrote. Opinions of artists differ in regard to this sonata; some, like
the present writer, holding it to be, on the whole, the most expressive
of all the sonatas, or nearly so; others regarding the last movement as
practically a failure. The peculiarities of the work which have given
rise to these differences of opinion are substantially the following:
It begins with a slow introduction, which is full of meditative and
dreamy harmonic changes of a very delicate and suggestive character.
Then enters the allegro, with a very strong subject, such as would
naturally be used for a fugue. The entire first movement is developed
out of this subject in a very strong and almost fugue-like manner. In
fact, fugal passages occur repeatedly in the course of this
development. The effect of the whole is very impassioned and
irresistible. It is a very similar vein to that of the allegro
movement of the "Sonate Pathetique," a work which Beethoven composed
about twenty-five years earlier.
Up to this point it will be seen that the work differs from the usual
sonata treatment in not possessing a lyric second subject. The element
of song-like repose is entirely wanting in this first movement; it is
suggested in the slow introduction, but in the allegro itself we have
nothing of it.
The second movement consists of an Arietta, which is in two
strains--one in C major, the other in A minor. These two strains are
treated with variations through a very long and highly developed
unfolding, the necessary relief of key being secured by the alternating
tonalities of C and A minor. In my opinion, what Beethoven sought to
do was to end this sonata in a more serious and poetic vein than
sonatas usually close in. The general character of the sonata form,
with a slow movement in the middle, necessarily amounts to an
anti-climax. The sonata finale is almost always either a
sonata-piece--in which case it is of a very impassioned character, such
as we find illustrated in the first sonata and in the "Moonlight
Sonata"; or a rondo--an easy-going movement, the principal subject
often returning, examples of which we find in the "Pastoral Sonata,"
the opus 2 in C major, opus 7 in E-flat, and a great variety of others.
While the regular finale admits of a serious and effective ending, it
precludes the peculiarly elevated and poetic sentiment of the adagio
movement. I think Beethoven undertook in the present instance to
develop the sonata to the necessary complexity for climax and at the
same time to end with the poetic and sentimental spirit. When these
variations are played in this mood, they produce a very beautiful and
excellent effect, but the close of the sonata is very difficult to
treat satisfactorily.
In the Liszt selections at the close of the last program are two pieces
very seldom played--an eclogue and "At the Fountain." Both these
require delicate playing rather than extremely brilliant, and both are
rather difficult, without making a show proportionate to the difficulty
of performing them. They are, however, very musical and pleasing. The
whole ends with "The Erl King" of Schubert.