Contemporary American Composers: Being a Study of the Music of This Country, Its Present; Conditions and Its Future, with Critical Estimates and; Biographies of the Principal Living Composers; and an; Abundance of Portraits, Fac-simile Musical Autographs, and; CompositionsHughes, Rupert
History
Contemporary American Composers: Being a Study of the Music of This Country, Its Present; Conditions and Its Future, with Critical Estimates and; Biographies of the Principal Living Composers; and an; Abundance of Portraits, Fac-simile Musical Autographs, and; Compositions
Hughes, Rupert
Composers -- United States -- Biography; Music -- United States -- History and criticism
In the single songs the influence of Gilchrist's early training in
hymns is patent. In only a few instances do they follow the latter-day
methods of Schumann and Franz. "A Song of Doubt and a Song of Faith"
is possibly his best vocal solo. It begins with a plaint, that is full
of cynic despair; thence it breaks suddenly into a cheerful andante.
"The Two Villages" is a strong piece of work on the conventional
lines of what might be called the Sunday ballad. "A Dirge for Summer"
has a marked originality, and is of that deep brooding which is
particularly congenial to Gilchrist's muse. The Scotch songs are
charming: "My Heart is Sair" is full of fine feeling, and must be
classed among the very best of the many settings of this lyric of
Burns'.
Most modern in feeling of all Gilchrist's vocal solos is the group of
"Eight Songs." They interpret the text faithfully and the
accompaniment is in accord with the song, but yet possessed of its own
individuality. "A Love Song" is tender and has a well-woven
accompaniment; "The Voice of the Sea" is effective, but hardly attains
the large simplicity of Aldrich' poem; "Autumn" is exquisitely cheery;
"Goldenrod" is ornately graceful, while "The Dear Long Ago" is quaint;
"Lullaby" is of an exquisitely novel rhythm in this overworked form.
[Music: A LOVE SONG.
By Barry Cornwall.
Music by W.W. Gilchrist.
Love me if I live,
Love me if I die.
What to me is life or death,
So that thou, that thou be near.
What to me is life or death,
So that thou be near,
So that thou be near.
Copyright, 1885, by Arthur P. Schmidt & Co.
A FRAGMENT.]
There is much contrast between the lightness of his book, "Songs for
the Children," and his ponderous setting of Kipling's "Recessional."
The treatment of Paul Laurence Dunbar's "Southern Lullaby" is unusual,
and the songs, "My Ladye" and "The Ideal," both in MS., are
noteworthy.
Gilchrist has written a vast amount of religious music, including
several "Te Deums," of which the one in C and that in A flat are the
best, to my thinking. He has written little for the piano except a
series of duets, of which the charming "Melodie" and the fetching
"Styrienne" are the best.
It is by his orchestral works, however, that he gains the highest
consideration. These include a symphony for full orchestra, which has
been frequently performed with success; a suite for orchestra; a suite
for piano and orchestra; as well as a nonet, a quintet, and a trio,
for strings and wind. None of these have been published, but I have
had the privilege of examining some of the manuscripts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account