In Great Composers and their Work (Seeley and Co., 5s.)
Dr. Louis C. Bison has compressed within the limits of a single small volume a lucid and genially written account of the great masters, so arranged as to enable the reader to understand "how their work aided in musical development, and in what degree their schools were interwoven." Dr. Elson's judgments are sane, and his comments intelligent and suggestive. Here, for instance, is a good example of the comparative method :—" Mozart often thought out his compositions while playing billiards, Gluck with a particular ring upon his finger, Scarlatti with his cat on his shoulder, Wagner with his surroundings upholstered to fit his subject, but Beethoven loved to think out his compositions in. God's open air." Another happy remark is that inspired by Wagner's phrase—" swimming in a sea of tone "—applied to. freedom of modulation. Lesser composers, as Dr. Bison observes, in imitating this boldness are drowned in the same sea. We may note, in taking leave of this excellent little book, that though extremely catholic in his preferences, Dr. Eisen is some- what pessimistic as to the outlook in the Germany of to-day. He deplores the aberrations of Richard Strauss ; thinks that music is beginning to have its Maeterlincks, its impressionists ; and notes the occurrence of "virulent attacks on symphony, sonata, on everything that has form or symmetrical architecture."
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