“THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC.”

Evening Star, Issue 25956, 22 November 1946, Page 12

“THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC.”

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The comments of “ R.P.8.” on the weekly column by “ L.D.A.” administer a timely and necessary stricture on the failure of a music critic to fulfil his proper role. It is some time since Robert Schumann raised the standards of musical journalism, and showed what could be done by a properly qualified critic, and since George Bernard Shaw demonstrated that a critic who understands music is superior to one who does not. But these lessons take a long time to sink home. There are still people who apparently think that the airing of personal prejudices and the compounding of fulminations against artists who think otherwise constitute musical criticism A critic’s function is surely to help the less advanced listeners to a better appreciation of music, to illuminate equally the good and the bad points, and to hail unrecognised talent and genius, as did Schumann with Chopin. As it is, “Thoughts About Music,” better retitled “Prejudices, etc.,” merely provides amusement for the musically more experienced, while misleading those who seek helpful advice. The fact that the music of Beethoveu and Bach had to wait till after the middle of the nineteenth century for proper and general appreciation, as did also that of Schubert, because the critics of Beethoven preferred composers now little heard, and the detractors of Schubert preferred lesser song writers, in no way diminishes achievements of genius, but only shows up the paucity of musical understanding that made the music too big for the critic, who failed to _ realise that comparisons were Confusing, because the music was “ different.” Similarly the choice by “L.D.A.” of Tschaikovsky as a standard for the symphony is not a happy one. Many contemporary composers, for example, hail Mozart as the master in this form, and, no matter what their own productions may be like, at least they have a training and experience that warrants paying attention to their judgments. But then both he and Handel received some months back the same treatment as Beethoven now receives) so presumably he is an “ also ran.” When the musical development of the individual comes to a dead halt at Chopin and Tschaikovsky, both of whom are “ first loves ” with most music enthusiasts, it is a matter of regret that immature, but otherwise healthy, opinions tend to crystallise into prejudices of a particularly partisan, type. —I am, etc., Listener. November 20.