insult offered to the composer and the more enlightened part of the audience, the music is certain to
fail altogether in its effect on the unmusical, as its
power to move and impress must depend on its
beauties being properly brought out, and on its being
rendered as the composer intended. To the educated
musician, a moderately good performance of a new
work may be of interest, as he himself can feel the
beauties latent in the music; but the less-instructed
audience can only judge of it by the effect produced
as it is performed.
To what extent the love of music has penetrated into the homes and private life of the people, it is very difficult to estimate. The number of pupils from our city who pass the Local Musical Examinations does not give a very reliable indication; for in many cases success in this direction has been attained at the expense of the love of music for its own sake. Instead of being taught to feel the beauty of the music, to take delight, and find emotional expression, in the lovely melodies, and in the exquisite poetic feeling, of the works of Mozart and Schubert, the pupil is made to grind away at particular pieces in order to obtain as much mechanical dexterity and imitative expression as will satisfy the examiner. Evidence of this fact may be found in the fashionable concerts given by teachers to exhibit the attainments of their pupils to their admiring friends and relatives. At these concerts the feeble, tentative efforts of juvenile precocity are warmly applauded—to the almost certain injury of the pupil. The audience, however, in the long run becomes wearied of the imperfect renderings of high-class work, and feels a sense of relief when the performance is over. Were there a musical school in Glasgow, there could be no objection to selected pupils of the various masters giving a periodical recital before the professors and a critical audience of people interested in musical progress. This is done in the principal Conservatoires abroad, and serves a useful purpose. But the setting of fifteen or twenty young persons—more or less musically endowed—to give utterly inadequate performances of good music before a fashionable audience in a concert-hall, cannot, we think, serve any good end.
Still, the air is full of talk about music—talk, we fear, more or less superficial. From pulpits and platforms we are taught the necessity that exists for its widespread cultivation. Even the Town Council of our city, a body usually more remarkable for economic astuteness than artistic sympathy, has thought it advisable of late years to provide music for the people, and has established open-air band performances, and a weekly Corporation concert by local performers. At the International Exhibition, concerts of the 'promenade' order will be frequent—though, considering the important place in the scheme which the sister art of painting occupies in its most serious form—it is perhaps a pity that the artistic aspects of music have not come in for more consideration. We might have had a few high-class recitals in a suitable building, and a chamber concert or two, by efficient performers. As, however, the Committee dealing with the musical arrangements entirely ignored the musical profession, and did not seek the aid of experts, the result arrived at is not surprising. One of the most hopeful signs of a happier future is the existence in a flourishing state of the Society of Musicians. This Society was formed four years ago for the purpose of bringing the professional musicians of Glasgow together, that they might get to know each other, and act in concert for the advancement of the best interests of music in Glasgow. It now numbers among its members and associates the best musicians in the city, and also many gentlemen who have been intimately connected with the promotion of music and musical organisations. The Society has already done some good work in giving encouragement to composition, and forming a library of valuable orchestral, chamber, and other music, besides promoting the free discussion of musical questions and the study of various phases of musical thought and activity. Already the example of Glasgow has been followed by the formation of similar societies in Edinburgh and Dundee. There can be no doubt that the existence of these organisations will exercise a most beneficial influence on the progress of music, as from them will proceed the future development and extension of musical education and culture.
In this paper we have been able to deal only with the more important circumstances which affect musical life and progress in Glasgow. There are many interesting features which we have not been able to notice, such as the settlement among us during recent years of many accomplished musicians, the development of a taste for chamber music, etc. With these, we may take occasion to deal in future articles.
G. W. H.
