Evenings with the Great Musicians Lecture: 5th

“Subject—Mozart.”  

“Mr. J. N. Parrison gave the fifth and last of his course of lectures on the great composers last evening at De Garmo Hall. It attracted, as have the former lectures, a large and interested audience. The lecture seems to introduce an element of change from the monotony of an ordinary piano concert that proves acceptable and pleasing.

Mr. Pattison’s subject was Mozart. His remarks upon this composer were confined to a brief notice of the chief events of his life, such as may be found in any of the biographies. The musical illustrations consisted of a fantasia, three sonatas, and an arrangement of the minuet from his third symphony. It is impossible to give any adequate illustration of such a universal genius through his sonatas. Mozart was great in all styles of composition, but least great in his works for the piano. He exerted his influence on the art in every direction rather than this. His operas marked an era in the history of music, and moulded the efforts of succeeding composers, but he took the sonata form just as it had been handed to him by Haydn, and he left it where he found it, with all its constraints, strictures, and lack of freedom. It would be as much to the purpose to lecture on the genius of Shakespeare and to illustrate the lecture by reading his sonnets as to attempt to measure the greatness of Mozart by his sonatas for piano. Nor did Mr. Pattison avail himself of the opportunity to remark upon the position that Mozart occupied toward the music that preceded him and that which has come after, and yet that influence was wide spread, and his departure from old forms especially song-forms, marked and decided, and to this day his influence is felt by all who compose either symphonies or operas.

It would seem as though for an artist who had only the piano as a means of illustration, the biographies of men who composed strictly for that instrument would be the most available. The objection to this would probably be that the mere piano composers were not men whom the world cares much to hear about.

When William H. Fry years ago at Tripler Hall brought his profound learning and brilliant wit to the aid of a similar series of lectures, he had the aid of a grand orchestra and of singers to interpret what he spoke of, and was able to give analytical discourses. Even treated after the limited fashion that circumstances impose upon Mr. Pattison, we do not doubt that what he has said has proved not only entertaining, but instructive, to the many who have attended his course.”

“A large and decidedly fashionable audience filled De Garmo Hall last night at the fifth and last lecture and piano recital of Mr. J. N. Pattison. The eminent artist selected Mozart as the subject of the close of his highly attractive and instructive musical entertainments. He sketched the life and characteristics of one of the greatest minds that ever illumined the world of music with masterly skill, bringing in apt anecdotes of the early life of Mozart and happy nits at the neglect and meanness shown toward the immortal composer by his countrymen. The lecturer’s voice is clear and distinct, and he has evidently made good use of his elocutionary training. The musical selections were happily chosen, commencing with a pretty little thing written by Mozart at the age of four years—a wonderful instance of precocity. When an accomplished pianist steps into the lecture field and explains the beauties and characteristics of each work he plays the result may be considered as more satisfactory than a half dozen ordinary lessons in a conservatory.”