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THE
Orchestral Conductor
THEORY OF HIS ART
BY
HECTOR BERLIOZ.
NEW YORK
PUBLISHED By CARL FISCHER
6-10 Fourth Ave., Cooper Square.
Copyright, 1902, By Carl Fischer.
By HECTOR BERLIOZ.
Music appears to be the most exacting of all the Arts, the cultivation of whichpresents the greatest difficulties, for a consummate interpretation of a musical workso as to permit an appreciation of its real value, a clear view of its physiognomy, ordiscernment of its real meaning and true character, is only achieved in relativelyfew cases. Of creative artists, the composer is almost the only one who is dependentupon a multitude of intermediate agents between the public and himself; intermediateagents, either intelligent or stupid, devoted or hostile, active or inert, capable—fromfirst to last—of contributing to the brilliancy of his work, or of disfiguring it,misrepresenting it, and even destroying it completely.
Singers have often been accused of forming the most dangerous of these intermediateagents; but in my opinion, without justice. The most formidable, to mythinking, is the conductor of the orchestra. A bad singer can spoil only his ownpart; while an incapable or malevolent conductor ruins all. Happy indeed may thecomposer esteem himself when the conductor into whose hands he has fallen is notat once incapable and inimical; for nothing can resist the pernicious influence ofthis person. The most admirable orchestra is then paralyzed, the most excellentsingers are perplexed and rendered dull; there is no longer any vigor or unity; undersuch direction the noblest daring of the author appears extravagant, enthusiasmbeholds its soaring flight checked, inspiration is violently brought down to earth, theangel's wings are broken, the man of genius passes for a madman or an idiot, thedivine statue is precipitated from its pedestal, and dragged in the mud. And whatis worse, the public, and even auditors endowed with the highest musical intelligence,are reduced to the impossibility (if a new work is rendered, and they are hearingit for the first time) of recognizing the ravages perpetrated by the orchestralconductor—of discovering the follies, faults, and crimes he commits. If they clearlyperceive certain defects of execution, not he, but his victims, are in such cases maderesponsible. If he has caused the chorus-singers to fail in taking up a point in afinale, if he has allowed a discordant wavering to take place between the choir andthe orchestra, or between the extreme sides of the instrumental body, if he hasabsurdly hurried a movement, or allowed it to linger unduly, if he has interrupteda singer before the end of a phrase, they exclaim: “The singers are detestable! Theorchestra has no firmness; the violins have disfigured the princi