In short, if one
holds Field's charming romances before a distorting, concave
mirror, so that every delicate impression becomes a coarse one,
one gets Chopin's work. We implore Mr. Chopin to return to
nature."
Rellstab might have added that while Field was often commonplace,
Chopin never was. Rather is to be preferred the sound judgment of
J. W. Davison, the English critic and husband of the pianist,
Arabella Goddard. Of the early works he wrote:
Commonplace is instinctively avoided in all the works of
Chopin--a stale cadence or a trite progression--a hum-drum
subject or a worn-out passage--a vulgar twist of the melody or
a hackneyed sequence--a meagre harmony or an unskilful
counterpoint--may in vain be looked for throughout the entire
range of his compositions, the prevailing characteristics of
which are a feeling as uncommon as beautiful; a treatment as
original as felicitous; a melody and a harmony as new, fresh,
vigorous and striking as they are utterly unexpected and out
of the original track. In taking up one of the works of Chopin
you are entering, as it were, a fairyland untrodden by human
footsteps--a path hitherto unfrequented but by the great
composer himself.
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