=His Works=.—Dvořák’s many operas, including “Wanda,” “Dimitri,”
“Armida,” and others, have been surpassed in importance by his
orchestral works. His “Stabat Mater” and the cantata “The Spectre’s
Bride” are important vocal compositions. His overtures include such
well-known examples as the “Husitzká,” “Mein Heim,” “Othello,” “In der
Natur,” and the “Carneval.” Other instrumental works are the famous
“Slavic Dances,” the Slavonic Rhapsodies, the “Scherzo Capriccioso,”
three Ballades, and a “Hero Song.” Before coming to New York, in 1892,
he had written four great symphonies; but the fifth, “Aus der Neuen
Welt,” is of the greatest interest to Americans, since Dvořák here
adopted the plantation style in his themes, to show what could be done
in building up an American school of music. He was eminently successful
in handling his material, and he produced a greater and more truly
national work than any resident composer has yet done. In general,
Dvořák’s style is more cosmopolitan than that of Smetana, and his
faculty of melodic invention makes his works attractive. He enriched
the symphony by two Bohemian dance-movements—the Dumka, and the Furiant.
=Other Bohemians=.—=Zdĕnek Fibich=, though little known outside of
his own country, was another famous opera-composer. He devoted some
efforts to melodrama also, “Hippodamia” being his chief work in this
field. He published two symphonies and several symphonic poems, the
latter showing the influence of Liszt. =Reznícĕk=, who has recently
identified himself with the musical life of Germany, has produced five
operas, of which the sparkling comedy “Bonna Diana” and the later
“Till Eulenspiegel” are the best. =Josef Suk=, son-in-law of Dvořák,
has composed some attractive instrumental music, while =Nápravník=,
of an earlier generation, won operatic successes in St. Petersburg.
Hungary, too, has a national school of opera, founded by =Franz Erkel=.
This school is carried on by such men as Alexander Erkel, the Doppler
brothers, Mihalovitch, Zichy, and Hubay, while Dohnanyi is better known
as pianist than as composer. Poland is represented by =Paderewski=,
while =Soltys= has won renown in symphony, and =Stalkowsky= in opera.
=Norwegian Music=.—Norway is preëminently a land of song. Its sombre
fiords, dark forests, and smiling meadows have at all times inspired a
school of Folk-music whose plaintive sweetness exerts the utmost charm
on the musical auditor. In =Edvard Hagerup Grieg= (Bergen, 1843-1907)
we find a composer of wonderful melodic gifts and expressive power,
who has preserved admirably the flavor of the local Folk-songs and
dances. Grieg owed much to the wise training of his mother, a woman of
rare gifts. At Ole Bull’s advice, he took a course at Leipzig, after
which he studied further with Gade, at Copenhagen. There he met Rikard
Noordraak, who first aroused his enthusiasm for the songs and legends
of his native land.
=Grieg’s Works=.—Grieg’s genius was essentially lyric and melodic, but
this in no way detracts from the greatness of his orchestral works.
The “Autumn” overture is clear and beautiful, with the simplicity of
strength, not of weakness. The “Norwegian Dances” mark the beginning
of the national style that is carried out in the melodrama “Bergliot,”
the two “Peer Gynt” suites, and “Sigurd Jorsalfer.” The piano concerto,
somewhat in the style of Schumann, is one of Grieg’s best works, and
shows the utmost perfection of melodic and harmonic architecture. The
“Elegiac Melodies,” the “Norwegian Themes,” and the “Holberg Suite,”
all for strings, are further examples of his rich fulness of romantic
utterance. His choral and chamber works show the same sympathetic
treatment, while his piano works and songs include some of the most
exquisite gems in the entire musical repertoire. His works show endless
melodic invention, great power of expression, and a warmth of tender
sentiment that seems never to lose its charm.
=Christian Sinding= (Kongsberg, Norway, 1856) studied at Leipzig also,
and won a royal scholarship that took him to Munich and Berlin. He
belongs to an artistic family, for one brother, Otto, is a painter, and
another, Stefan, a sculptor. Sinding’s music is melodic in character,
and distinctively Norwegian in style, but less so than that of Grieg.
His orchestral works include an excellent symphony, brought out under
Weingartner and later by Thomas; an attractive concerto for piano,
and two for violin; a “Rondo Infinito”; and the interesting suite,
“Episodes Chevaleresques.” His chamber-music, violin sonatas, piano
solos, and songs are made of the most attractive material.
=Other Norwegians=.—=Johann Severin Svendsen=, though prominent
in Danish music, is really Norwegian by birth. Son of a military
bandmaster, he soon obtained a position similar to his father’s. But
he longed for higher things, and after a tour as violin virtuoso,
he studied at Leipzig, under Reinecke. He traveled much, meeting in
Paris an American woman whom he afterwards married in her own country.
After some experience in Christiania, he became court conductor in
Copenhagen, where he owns the baton used by von Weber and inscribed
with that composer’s name. His orchestral works include two symphonies,
four Norwegian Rhapsodies, the legend “Zorahayde,” and the “Carnival
at Paris,” but they are too conventional to take foremost rank. A
prominent composer among the younger Norwegians is =Ole Olsen=, of
Hammerfest, whose symphonic poem “Asgardsreien” is but one of his
many successes. =Gerhard Schjelderup= is one of the modern radicals,
and shows all the complexity and dissonance of Strauss. =Agathe
Backer-Grohndahl= is the leader of the Norwegian women-composers.
=Music in Denmark=.—In Denmark, the fame of Gade obscured that of other
composers, and such a man as J. P. E. Hartmann could gain scarcely more
than local reputation. The most important name in recent years is that
of =August Enna=, who won a popular operatic triumph in 1892 with “Die
Hexe.” He was almost wholly self-taught, for poverty prevented him from
taking lessons, sometimes even from buying music paper. “Cleopatra”
is a later work, while “The Little Match-Girl” was the beginning of a
series of fairy operas. Enna handles his orchestra with boldness and
skill, and displays vocal fluency and thematic excellence. =Eduard
Lassen= gained more renown by his melodious songs than by his operas or
orchestral works. =Otto Malling= is known for his piano pieces, while
=Victor Bendix= has attempted the symphonic poem. =Ludwig Schytté=, a
friend of Liszt, has made Berlin his home, and is identified with light
opera as well as piano music.
=Music in Sweden=.—The national opera of Sweden was brought into being
by =Ivar Hallstrom=, soon after the middle of the 19th century. Since
then, a new school has arisen, showing the influence of Liszt, Wagner,
Schumann, and at times, Berlioz, with the plaintive sweetness of the
native Folk-music pervading it all. =Anders Hallen=, the first of the
new romanticists, has written four operas (of which “Hexfallen” is
the best), several symphonic poems and Swedish Rhapsodies, a number
of ambitious cantatas, and some beautiful Swedish and German songs.
He unites the charm of his native music with strength of passion and
richness of instrumentation. =Emil Sjögren= shows a harmonic feeling
worthy of Grieg, but his boldness in modulation often produces bizarre
effects. He excels in the smaller forms, such as his “Spanish Songs,”
“Tannhäuser Lieder,” and several piano cycles. =Wilhelm Stenhammar=,
pupil of these two, shows much enthusiasm and spirit in his music,
but his operas are now laid aside. =Wilhelm Peterson-Berger= is the
best of the new opera-composers, his music-drama “Ran” being a recent
success. =Hugo Alfven= has attempted the symphony, with fair success.
=Tor Aulin=, a famous violinist, has produced concertos and other works
for his instrument, while =Erik Akerberg= has devoted his energy to
choral works. =Elfrida Andree= is the most prominent of the Swedish
women-composers.
=Music in Finland=.—The national epic of Finland is the _Kalevala_,
a work of real poetic beauty. There is also a collection of shorter
lyrics, called the _Kanteletar_. These have furnished inspiration for a
large number of modern composers, of whom the most important is =Jean
Sibelius=. He studied with Becker in Berlin and Goldmark in Vienna.
On his return to Helsingfors, the capital, he became the leader of the
new Finnish school. His two symphonies are worthy if not absolutely
great, but his symphonic poems, and the suite “King Christian IV,” show
real musical beauty. He has been active in the smaller forms also, and
holds the Government pension for musical excellence. =Armas Jarnefelt=
is another good orchestral composer, while =Ernest Mielck=, who died at
twenty-two, showed a lyric beauty not unworthy of Schubert. =Richard
Faltin= is one of the older song-composers. =Martin Wegelius=, died
1906, did valuable work as director of the Musical Institute, while
=Robert Kajanus= became prominent as the founder and leader of the
Helsingfors Philharmonic Orchestra. Both are excellent composers, the
former working chiefly in vocal forms, the latter in the orchestral
field.