Ferruccio Busoni

Author(s): A. Brent-Smith
Source: The Musical Times , Feb., 1934, Vol. 75, No. 1092 (Feb., 1934), pp. 113-116
Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd.

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/919635

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 THE MUSICAL TIMES
AND SINGING-CLASS CIRCULAR

FEBRUARY, 1934

Ferruccio Busoni
By A. BRENT-SMITH

o few men have the gods given so many right to object to a demand for an exhibitio
causes for gratitude as they gaveof
to that power will not hold in this case, fo
Ferruccio Busoni. He was blessed with Busoni frequently played such pieces as encores
a superb physique, a commanding presence, to an otherwise non-virtuoso recital. Nor does
it help
perfect muscular control, incredible velocity of his case to argue that he only played
finger, a quick intelligence, and a highly sensi-such music in order to reveal the beauties that
tive nature. In addition, he was blessed with lie beneath the superficial glitter-for the
a wise and sympathetic wife, the ability to earn audience who clamour for him to play such
money when he chose, a band of devoted and music may fairly say,' It is to hear the beauties
forgiving friends, and (by no means a small of such music, and not to witness your virtu-
blessing) a name which seemed designed to osity, that we pay our money.'
repel familiarity and to awaken interest. And It was just a phase of his character, the
yet he was never really happy or contented. petulance of a spoiled child, to expect his
In the 17th century there was a man, John audiences to follow his whims and to marvel
Lilburne, so quarrelsome that the concluding at his skill when he chose to be marvellous,
lines of his epitaph run as follows: ' Here lay and no less to reverence his art when he chose
ye John, lay Lilburne thereabout, for if the to be the artist. Perhaps people ought not to
twain should meet they would fall out.' And be anxious to see men exhibit their peculiar
such a man was Ferruccio Busoni. If Ferruccio, powers; but it would be more than human if
the Italian, could find no one to quarrel with they did not. Suppose a tennis-player had
he would fall foul of Busoni the resident established for himself a reputation in America
German; or Ferruccio the pianist fell foul of and the Antipodes as having the most accurate
Busoni the composer; and sometimes Ferruccio and devasting service in the world; would not
the pianist fell foul of Busoni the virtuoso. tennis-players be rather chagrined if on playing
In early manhood he challenged the world at Wimbledon he confined himself to under-
as a pianist of unprecedented skill. In addition hand services, cleverly placed though they
to his highly individual pelformances of Beet- might have been ? It is a case of making your
hoven's greatest Sonatas, he specialized in the bed and objecting to lie on it.
tours de force of Liszt, playing not only the Nor can we believe, as we are sometimes
Sonata and the Studies, but also the Fantasias, asked to do, that the playing of the Liszt
occasionally even increasing their difficulties. Fantasias was a youthful exuberance which he
Now, if a pianist devotes a whole recital to outgrew as he developed. Prof. Dent says:
such pieces, it is obvious that he is advertising ' We can trace his musical progress in his piano-
his immense skill, even though he persuades forte repertoire: we can watch him gradually
himself that he is playing such music for the discarding one composer after another as they
music's sake only. Naturally, then, there will fail to satisfy his ever-soaring mind.' Was it
be a crowd eager to see and to hear these a soaring mind that prompted him to practise
marvels of execution. With such people Busoni and play for the first time Liszt's 'Totentanz'
was furiously indignant, and for them he would at the age of fifty-three ?
play a simple fugue of Bach. But surely such As a composer we find in him the same
impatience is rather childish. If a man sets tendency to quarrel with himself. Earnestly,
out to show himself possessed of some remark- ceaselessly he sought to find true expression
able power, is it not unreasonable to be annoyed for his thoughts, striving by the light of reason
if others want to see an exhibition of that to gain that which other men have attained by
instinct.
power ? To argue that a man gifted with the Actually his intelligence, though
power of performing miracles has a perfect
quick, was not profound. His philosophy of
B

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114 THE MUSICAL TIMES February, 1934

art and life is frequently jejune, theprogressive

superficialhe denounced Italy for being back-
theorizing of an untrained thinker. ward:
One of when
hishe felt sentimental he felt
indignant
aspirations was to evolve a type of music whichat Italy for having changed f
the as
the listener should be conscious of, not ' dear
beingold place he used to know.'
made of individual notes and phrases A but
man as
soadriven and tossed by conflict
single musical experience. But is not views must
this thenaturally find it difficult to re
aim of all artists ? When the dramatist uses his true self. As a composer, even up to
acts and scenes and a torrent of words, is he end of his days, he was striving to find him
not trying to present one single spiritual to discover that something which should
experience ? Likewise the poet and the immortality to his music.
novelist ? Happily for the painter and the Busoni reminds us of the young man in
Gospels whose wish for discipleship was
sculptor, their work in its final form is one
equal to the sacrifice of his great possessi
single experience, though it was only by count-
less strokes of the brush and by many blows The young man was obviously full of the
of the chisel that this result has been obtained. noblest ambition, but he could not bring him-
In poetry, time becomes an important factor,self to part with his vast wealth because it was
for we cannot project our thought into one just that wealth which differentiated him from
single word; in music, time becomes almost an his fellow men. So with Busoni. It was
ingredient, and it is only by using a succession upon the riches of his technical skill tha
of sounds punctuated by silence that the prided himself, and if the sacrifice of this
composer can declare his message. Neverthe- the price of immortality, then it was a pric
less the final work-the 'St. Matthew' Passion, did not wish to pay. To become a poor m
the ' Emperor' Concerto-is every bit as much a for the kingdom of heaven is an underta
single experience as a picture or a statue. If a for a St. Francis: to deny the existence of
composer claims that he is trying to achieve this one's superior talents for the kingdom of Art
aim, the singularity of his conduct lies not so is probably beyond the power even of a St.
much in his aspiration as in his admission. Francis. To the virtuoso the knowledge that
Then again Busoni had some vague longing he can electrify an audience is very dear; and
for an ideal music,' a music independent of all a man who has once proved himself supreme
instruments'; and it was as such abstract finds it difficult to let others win the admiration
music that the 'Fantasia Contrapuntistica' of the world without reasserting his superiority.
was written. But this is merely one of those It was the double claim upon Busoni-the
pretty aesthetic bubbles which amuse the honourable desire to do something splendid
dilettanti. We all know that a work of art and the less honourable (but quite under-
standable)
must have a soul, but that does not prevent us desire to prove his continued superi-
ority as a pianist-which made his quest for
from admitting that it must also have a body.
immortality
Though music may be read silently from the so difficult. Out of his vast
wealth of skill and originality he could, and
page, and is indeed so read by many musicians,
did, make handsome gifts to those who were
yet that is only possible because such musicians
have trained themselves to interpret the equally
sym- rich in understanding, but to the poor
bols. They know what a melody played andbysimple folk he had nothing to offer.
Of Busoni's actual compositions it is difficult
an oboe sounds like ; they can mentally distin-
to speak,
guish a horn from a trumpet, a violin from a as the chances of hearing them are
viola. But suppose that all performed so few. But the very rarity of performances
music
died out for thirty years, would childrenofwho his music is in itself an eloquent criticism of
had never heard an oboe, clarinet, horn, or his work. His first works were produced at
trumpet be able to make anything of an least fifty years ago, and since then he made
orchestral score ? It is obvious that music for himself an immense reputation as a pianist,
must be conceived for performance, and which gave him a host of influential friends
that
this ideal music, freed from all material among conductors and performers, and yet
restrictions, is a chimera. there is no work of his that has passed into
Furthermore, Busoni was continually at common use except the transcriptions of Bach
strife with whatever country he happened -which
to are of course still Bach, in spite of
be living in. If he was on tour he longed Busoni.for Consider what fifty years has done
Italy and all things Italian. Such was his with other men's reputations. Brahms's first
love of Italy that he liked to think of himself important works-the Pianoforte Sonatas
as the writer of real Italian opera, something were heard by Schumann in the year 1853, but
more truly Italian than Verdi. Yet when he by 1903 nearly all his compositions, including
was in Italy, he found that country impossible. the much discussed D minor Pianoforte
He who was the apostle of progress, the lover Concerto, had passed into universal use.
of experiments, actually quarrelled with Italy had somehow outlived the reputation for
for not remaining her old conventional self. aridity (which is a criticism levelled against
It was a case of Busoni the pianist versus Busoni), and have been welcomed by all for
Busoni the virtuoso again. When he felt their beauty and power.

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February, 1934 THE MUSICAL TIMES 115

Why is it then that Busoni'sinto

music, so This does not mean that
hackneydom.
Brahms
obviously sincere, so powerful on its and Sibelius were artistically less pure
intellectual
side, has failed to make any headway than Busoni; it means that, like Mozart,
in the
world ? Wagner, Beethoven, Verdi, and others, they
First of all we must bear in mind that were so prolific of ideas, so much the medium
Busoni was in everything-in pianoforte by which ideas pass from the unseen world
playing and in composition-a thorough-going into reality, that they were not always willing
professional. For him pianoforte- playing or able to judge the true value of their ideas.
meant either playing in his study for practice In any case, we do not always want to be
or playing upon the platform for applause. grappling with problems of soul-states and
He not only did not suffer fools gladly: he had philosophies of life: we want cheerfulness,
no use for the gifted amateur. We can imagine tenderness, and clean honest mirth. Doubt-
Mozart, or Beethoven, playing some gracious less Mozart knew that some of the seeds he
fragment to charm and please his less musical planted were but tares; but if the price of
friends; we can even think of Schubert good Mozartean bread is a few tares, it is a
playing the ' Erl-king ' upon a comb; but suchprice we can well afford to pay.
lapses from the high seriousness of Busoni areBusoni seems to have been so fearful of
unthinkable. He was, both as pianist and finding tares that he was continually ploughing
up his fields and planting afresh. In so doing
composer, working entirely for his professional
brethren, and he did not (or could not) he was acting in the most laudable manner;
condescend to men of low estate. but in this world the man who is satisfied with
There are many earnest music lovers whonothing but perfection will, like the hero of the
Unknown Masterpiece, leave to posterity
think that a composer should not condescend,
and that those who do so are artistic blacklegs.absolutely nothing.
But is it possible that men of great wealth This incessant search for the perfect grain
(spiritual or financial) have a duty towards has left its mark upon the fabric of his music.
He was so anxious to escape from Busoni that
their neighbour as well as a duty towards their
art ? It will be generally found that those he had no time to be Busoni. He suffered from
who believe that a man of large income should that bane of clever but restless folk-an open
mind: an admirable thing in its way, but
be forced to share it with the poor are the very
people who refuse to share their intellectual unsuitable for genius. Genius works without
riches with the foolish. If a man has a great conscious reference to what is happening
estate he has a duty to keep it beautiful for around. If by any chance a Beethoven or a
the sake of others, to cultivate his gardens, toVerdi hears or sees something that is good
grow flowers and shrubs which the less fortu- outside, he assimilates it. Genius is too full
nate long to see but cannot afford to keep. of If its own convictions to allow of the possi-
in answer to the flower-lovers who ask to see bility of others being better. If we really
believe that black is black it is no use allowing
his orchids he were to reply,' You vulgarians-
I shall show you nothing but my daisies and that it may possibly be white, unless we are
cowslips,' he would be a dog-in-the-manger.one of those people who bring up their children
Of course he might say, ' It is true I am theas Christians but instruct them in Moham-
cleverest and richest gardener in the world, medanism as well, to make sure.
but I am not interested in orchids, and am This open-mindedness of Busoni shows itself
devoting all my time and money to the cultiva-in the varying aspects of his music, now
suggesting a page of Liszt, now Beethoven,
tion of rare species of polyanthus in which only
professional horticulturalists will find any now Cesar Franck, now Verdi, and sometimes
interest.' That point of view we should alla modernist. Take for example that huge
understand and respect. work, the Pianoforte Concerto. Its deep
And that was very much the attitude of seriousness, its variety of language, its wealth
Busoni towards composition; and even if weof ornament, cannot escape the most casual
disapprove, it does help to explain his lack oflistener. Its intellectual vigour is abnormal.
appeal. But many of its pages look as though they had
Most composers, even if they aspire to the strayed from other composers' note-books.
highest flights of fancy, have given the world Franck and Tchaikovsky pass like shadows
a large number of slighter compositions char- through the opening and closing sections;
acterized by charm or geniality. Brahms may Liszt and Franck are rather more substan-
have frightened his hearers with the bleakness tially present in the second; while Verdi,
of his D minor Concerto, but he was none the Chopin, and Beethoven walk hand in hand with
less the composer of the B flat Sextet, the another who must be Busoni himself. This
' Liebeslieder,' and many simple and exquisite quality which I call Busoni, a harshness of
songs. Sibelius in his Symphonies has remained conflicting lines (frequently the contradiction
rather an enigma, but though he was a contem- of major and minor), is to be found in other
porary of Busoni, his 'Valse Triste' and his works such as the Sonatina in C major. There
Finlandia' have passed even beyond popularity is no doubt that such a quality gives pungency

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 116 THE MUSICAL TIMES February, 934

to
to music,
music, butbut
it isit
anisacquired
an acquired
quality-that
quality-that
Wagner.
Wagner. His Hishatred
hatredofof Wagnerism
Wagnerism may mayhave have
is,
is,the
the composer
composer has to
haschoose
to choose
only such
only
linessuch
resulted
resulted in
inhislines
his own
ownviews
views ofof opera,
opera,or orhis his
ownown
as will result in dissonance. The natural and views
views of of opera
operamay mayhave have caused
causedhishis hatred
hatredof of
spontaneous flow of ideas is not encouraged, Wagner.
Wagner. Whatever
Whateverthe theorigin,
origin,hishis animosity
animosity
for such ideas might be harmonically innocu- was
was invaluable,
invaluable,asasitithelped helped himhim to to turnturnthethe
ous. The desire for dissonant lines in music stream
stream of ofoperatic
operaticconventions
conventions into intoother
other
is comparable to the desire for cynicism channels.
channels.
in His
Hisownownoperas
operas maymay not notbecome
become
literature in that it drives out all natural attractions
attractionslike' like'The
TheRoseRose Cavalier
Cavalier 'of 'of
Strauss,
Strauss,
sweetness and leaves finally only a monotonous but
but they
theyhavehavehad,had,andand will
willhave,
have,theirtheirinflu-
influ-
cruelty and harshness. It would certainly ence
ence upon
uponfuture
futurecomposers.
composers. Writing
Writing in the
in the
seem that Busoni was tending towards this year
year 1902
1902he hesays:
says:' I' have
I have been
beenconsidering
considering
cynical outlook, the harmony of the Sonatina setting
setting Oehlenschlager's
Oehlenschlager's "Aladdin"
"Aladdin" notnotas anas an
being more consistently bleak than that of the opera
opera butbutas asa aGesamtwerk
Gesamtwerk ofofdrama,
drama, music,
music,
Concerto. Never having seen or heard his dance,
dance, andandmagic.
magic.......ItItis is
my my oldoldidea idea
of aof a
'Faust,' I cannot tell if this phase was only a stage
stage work
workwithwithmusic
music where
where necessary,
necessary, other-
other-
passing experiment, but it would seem that wise wise music
musicmustmustnot nothamper
hamper thetheliving
livingword.'
word.'
the bitterness and cynicism of his later years In
In the
the composition
compositionofof ' Faust'
' Faust'he he works
works on on
was casting a shadow over his whole output. the
the plan
plan ofofgiving
givingthe the music
music a definite
a definite form,form,
The reason then why Busoni's music has thus
thus reverting
revertingtotothe the pre-Wagner
pre-Wagner tradition
tradition of of
failed to make any headway in the world is opera.opera. Whether
Whetherorornot not Busoni's
Busoni's example
example hadhad
that, in his contempt for the musical prole- any any direct
directinfluence
influenceupon upon younger
younger composers
composers
tariat, he confined himself to writing for his cannot
cannot be beproved,
proved,but but thethe fact
factremains
remains that that
professional circle only. All his works, even certain new operas have been constructed
in their simple movements, offer problems upon the plan of Busoni's scheme of set musical
which only the experts can solve. A man forms. That Busoni helped to effect this break
must be wonderfully clever who can produce from Wagnerism is unquestionable; whether
work which only the most gifted of his con- he is the originator of a living new form, time
temporaries can understand; but it is not alone will show. From a study of the plot of
from such men that valued truth or beauty his ' Faust' it would seem that he was writing
has come into the world. And it is not from not an ordinary opera but a film-opera, in
Ferruccio Busoni that we need expect works which the technical details of production could
of universal appeal. be easily overcome. If ever his ' Faust'
But his place in modern history is of great should be filmed, we should be in a position to
importance. Almost the only composer judge who whether his musical invention was the
did not find an entry into his open mindequal was of his powerful intelligence.

Looking Ahead
Ahead II
II
By 'FESTE'

THOSE of us who were present at the Savoy of Mr. Popper, however, I am able to
Hotel some years ago when Prof. reproduce one of the illustrations.
Theremin gave a demonstration of his The article ends with the view that 'electrical
method of producing music from the air (the music has brought and will still bring, to com-
AEtherophon) were, on the whole, sceptical as posers and artists the realisation of their ardent
to its possibilities, and, so far as this country desire for enhanced expressiveness.'
is concerned, little has since been heard of the This seems over-sanguine, seeing that the
device. But a good deal has been happening chief advantage of electrical music so far
elsewhere, especially in Germany. The appears to be in the direction of obtaining
Listener for September 20 contained an article musical tone with the minimum of mechanical
by Paul Popper, entitled 'Wonders of Elec- appliances. There is no soundboard, for
trical Music,' giving a description of various example, in any of the electrical instruments,
methods of producing musical sound by means and in some there is need for little technical
of the thermionic valve. Some of the instru- skill in the ordinary sense of the term. In the
ments are of the string type, some have a kind trautonium, for instance, the manual or key-
,of keyboard. I dare not venture into a fieldboard is a metal rail over which a metal string
where only the scientist can walk without is stretched. It is, of course, a single-voice
putting his foot in it, so I refer the inquiring instrument; the intervals are marked above;
reader to The Listener article. By permission tone qualities may be varied by means of studs

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