Mr. Berthold Tours, who has written some of the finest anthems and
"Services" of the present day, besides numerous songs, prefers the
morning for composition, and being an early riser, is generally to be
found hard at work soon after 9 a.m., and seldom ceases his labours
till two o'clock. He never composes at an instrument, and thinks that
people who do are very apt to get their ideas from it and not out of
their head; nor does he force himself to compose, preferring to wait
till the inclination is upon him or the composition on which he is
engaged has matured itself in his brain, when there only remains the
mechanical part of writing it down, which very often takes up the most
time. If engaged upon a song, he first of all reads his words over two
or three times carefully and thoughtfully, so as to obtain a grasp of
the style of the verses, and then the music begins and the composition
proceeds smoothly to its close. Mr. Tours considers his "Service in
F" the best work he has yet done. This composition is a universal
favourite with lovers of Church music, and deservedly popular at
festivals.
It is pleasant to hear that this composer considers England a musical
nation. "Not quite so great as Germany, perhaps, but during the
last twenty years there has been great talent shown in music. We
are stronger now in clever composers than we have ever been, and no
nation is so appreciative of good music as the English, or so quick to
recognise and encourage true genius."
Like Dr. A. C. Mackenzie, Mr. Tours does not hold with the popular
belief that composers produce as fine works when writing for
commissions received as when left to follow their own inclinations, but
acknowledges that many great works have been thus produced.
In conclusion, Mr. Tours says that the playing of good classical music,
to those who know the rules of writing, might be a very great help, and
would be an incentive to good composition.