Page:The Spirit of French Music.djvu/201

 addressing his advice to young composers ambitious of imitating him:)

"I would above all warn these young people not to aim, in harmony and instrumentation, at effects, and only to place outstanding features of that kind just where there is some reason that fully justifies their employment. Effects without reason are useless. I have never met a young composer but was anxious to get my approval above all for his so-called 'audacities.' It was only thus that I came to see that the prudent conduct which I have so carefully set myself to adopt in my own works, as regards modulation and instrumentation, has been entirely overlooked. Thus in the instrumental introduction of the Rheingold, it was quite impossible for me to get away from the fundamental chord, because I found no motive for doing so. And as to the animated scene which follows between Alberich and the daughters of the Rhine, I could only introduce into it the tonalities that came nearest, because what passion there is at this point is expressed with an entirely primitive simplicity. On the other hand, I confess that in Mozart's place I should have given a stronger colouring to the first entry of Donna Anna when under the excitement of the strongest passion she dogs the steps of her criminal seducer."

He gives some other examples in the same vein, and one cannot fail to recognize the classical character of the doctrine that inspires him; to model the expression exactly on the idea without overloading or compromise; never to seek brilliant effects for their own sake; to regard as unhealthy all charm of form not taken purely from the richness and subtleties of the theme. I put in ordinary language what Wagner states partly in technical terms.