W.E.A. LECTURES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 4, 5 July 1926, Page 3

W.E.A. LECTURES

"SCHUMANN," BY MR. ROBERT PARKER.

The_ Dominion Farmers' Institute Hall was filled to overflowing on Saturday evening when Mr. Robert Parker continned his musical lectures under the auspices of the Workers' Educational Association, and delivered ah interesting address on "Robert Schumann as a Song Writer." In outlining his subject, the lecturer said he was concerned with only one branch of the composer's art—that of song-writing—and he hoped in the following series to present a few outstanding men of genius who had excelled in this class _of work. Hayden and Mozart were fugitive song-writers, and Beethoven left about 50 songs, but they were his poorest work. Schubert stands preeminent in song composition, and after him come Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Chopin, who were really the first cultured musicians and were friends and contemporaries. "In order to fully appreciate the work of any composer," said Mr. Parker, "it is necessary, or at least desirable, to understand something of the artist, historically and biographieally," and he gave a brief sketch of Schumann's career and his remarkable influence in improving the public taste of his day. His father was a man of culture and the son inherited -his love of poetry and philosophy. The predominating features of the time were superficiality and mediocrity in all branches of art, and in 1934 Schumann, with several other young men of genius, commenced the publication of a musical newspaper, determined to elevate the standard of thought. In this they succeeded admirably, and for over ten years Schumann remained the editor and moving spirit. His essays and articles have been quoted and published frequently since that time, and to this day they make delightful reading. Many gifted men of his day were helped and encouraged by his generous words of appreciation, but Schumann possessed a most lovable disposition and an utter freedom from petty jealousy, and both Chopin and Mendelssohn owed a great deal to his enthusiastic affection. His marriage in 1840 to Clara Wick, the greatest woman pianist in Europe, was unparalleled In its success, for she inspired him to burst into song, wherein his artistic qualities were blended into a perfect whole. Under this happy influence Schumann composed many exqukitc songs, a notable feature of which is the Coda in the accompaniment, which gupplies a fitting conclusion to the words. Among these compositions are several song cycles—a series of songs welded together by some common thought—and all these works have recently been admirably translated into excellent English for the Oxford University Press. After some years of success and happiness Robert Schumann's life was clouded by a disease of the brain which weakened his mental powers, and he finally died in 1856 at a comparatively early. age. His devoted widow, who survived him for forty years, undertook to make known his works oi the concert platform, and this was a re markable mission, because his composition were new in style, and the wonderful si cess which crowned her efforts was -I in no small measure to her sympathetic interpretation and brilliant -performance During the second half of his programme Mr. Parker.was ably assisted 1.-v Miss Mary Shaw and Messrs. John Proustand Arthur Clark, who were heard to great advantage -in the following illustrations of Schumann's songs:—Miss Shaw: "The Almond Tree" and "He, the Noblest," or "Humility," from "Woman* Life and Love Song Cycle," and "The Green Hat," in Volksleid style; Mr. John Prouse: "Ich Grolle Nicht" ("I Will Not Grieve Altho' My Heart Should Break") and "The Two Grenadiers"; Mr. Arthur Clark: "Devotion," "Moonlight," "Love's Tears," and the "May Song,'' from the "Poet's Love Cycle," "The Lotus Flower'," "If the Flowerets So Fair," and "The Wanderer's Song." Mr. Parker played the accompaniments in his usual masterly style, and the piano was kindly supplir ' by Mr. Ernest Dawson. The next; lectin ■ will deal with Robert Franz and Erahmr.