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Huneker, James, 1860-1921

"Chopin : the Man and His Music"


Niecks quotes Alexandre Dumas fils, who calls the Berceuse "muted
music," but introduces a Turkish bath comparison, which crushes
the sentiment. Mertke shows the original and Klindworth's reading
of a certain part of the Berceuse, adding a footnote to the
examples:
[Two musical score excerpts from Op. 57, one from the original
version, one from Klindworth's edition]
[Footnote: Das tr (flat) der Originale (Scholtz tr natural-flat)
zeigt, dass Ch. den Triller mit Ganzton und nach Mikuli den
Trilleranfang mit Hauptton wollte.] The Barcarolle, op. 60,
published September, 1846, is another highly elaborated work.
Niecks must be quoted here: "One day Tausig, the great piano
virtuoso, promised W. de Lenz to play him Chopin's Barcarolle,
adding, 'That is a performance which must not be undertaken
before more than two persons. I shall play you my own self. I
love the piece, but take it rarely.' Lenz got the music, but it
did not please him--it seemed to him a long movement in the
nocturne style, a Babel of figuration on a lightly laid
foundation.


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