Whenever there is mention of music, there will always be mentioned the name of the man who - just as Arnold Schonberg - is the symbol of the highest, personal art: Ferruccio Busoni. This noble cultured spirit, profoundly bound with creative power, was endowed with the visionary insight of genius. He also influenced his circle of friends and students through his example and deed. He, who strove for a balance between his 'germanhood' and 'romanhood', felt himself most intimately tied to German music, especially Mozart and Bach, as evidenced by his tremendous, "Fantasia Contrappuntistica" for piano, This creation, meant as the fulfillment of the counterpoint problems upon which the elder Bach was working at the time of his death, grows in front of us in its gigantic, yet endlessly subtle, gothic architecture. Genuine monumentality also lives in the "Piano Concerto" with male chorus. The structure of this creation could well appear curious at first, but one will find, upon closer inspection, that it has a well-considered plan at its basis, that a single idea gives him both support and structure. The whole is a hymn, which rises slowly in wonderful curves, which finds its last and crowning effect in the final male choir, upon which the Danish poet, Oehlenechlager lavished such praise. Totally organic, the song emerges at the end of the instrumental construction, as it rounds up the circle with great reward. The festive 'Prologue' which opens the concert, establishes the hymn-like, overwhelming groundtone of the whole and is held fast till the end with wonderful versitility.
A cheerful classical texture of voices in the spirit of Mozart emerges in the, "Concertino for Clarinet and Small Orchestra", with its diaphonous transparency of instrumental colors. This spirit becomes especially distinct in two works for the stage - the musical fairy-tale, "Turandot" and the theater-capriccio, "Arlecchino". Busoni's forward-striving spirit was always seeking the problematic, the extraordinary; be was not satisfied with easy successes which can be had through cheap imitation. He saw artistic possibilities upon paths which might appear impossible to tread. Thoughtful and smart as he was, he knew well that our production of operas had strayed into a cul de sac. Therefore he was seeking fresh powers and fertile lands in order to bring new life through the conscious turning away from musical drama and towards a song-play of Mozart-like character. The spirit of Wolfgang Amadeus obviously hovers over him. Away from all 'pathos', from all theatrical, thunder-like feeling, be strove to express seriousness in a charming and easy way, and to never let the listener forget that all this was only a play. What could be easier for him, the native Italian, than to try the renewal of, 'Commedia dell'arte' in a timely gown?
Among the moody plays of Carlo Gozzi, be found the ancient Chinese fairy tale of the gruesomely cold princess, Turandot, who has killed each one of the contestants who could not solve her three riddles.
However, Busoni did not restrict himself to overhauling the text of Gozzi's theater-play, but created a text after the model, whose effectiveness he raised through powerful strokes. He understandably avoided the somewhat unfortunate and heavy translation of Schiller. This was his above-mentioned purpose. He emphasized the grotesque, as intended by Gozzi. He was enticed by the constant exchange between fantasy end reality. Every tragic situation is transformed through witty end ironic allusions to the traditionally masked figures of Pantalone and Truffaldino. However, it does not always unfold without violence in this 'Turandot'. Some things don't seem conceived in a uniformed way. Some seem to float in the air, but who wants to ask for reasons in a fairy tale? Does one want to reproach the special laws which govern the happenings?
The production of the theater-capriccio 'Arlechino', whose words are also Busoni's, is more tightly formed. It is the story of the poetically enthusiastic fool, so engrossed in the reading of his beloved Dante, that he is now aware that the licentious and smart Arlechino is stealing his beautiful wife. Add to this the amazing personage of Pfaffe, the quacks, the masterful drawings of the operatic tenors as well as the wife in the incarnation of Columbine. All this in the crazy whirlwind of a lusty and cheerful play, and in the joy of gracious irony, unburdoned by any pathos, but on the contrary, its every feeling undermined by open-hearted mockery.
One should not become sentimental, rather one should enjoy this in a clean, aeethetic, reesoned way. And yet, nothing is without a deeper meaning. The skeptic, contemporary spirit is visible in this exuberant play, and we feel from afar that a tragic dome is arching over these very human happenings. We feel here a fateful entanglenent of human nature. All this however, swings in joyful graciousness, and Arlecchino, who at the end, comes out before the curtain, leaves it to his well-meaning judges, the art and newspaper critics, to draw the roots of truth. And then, with a polite bow: "My ladies, my gentlemen, good night". It is clear that the musical composition of such a parody-filled text must be of an entirely special art. In order to hold on to such a specific style requires something almost impossible, and only such a cultured spirit as Busoni's could dare approach the solution of this thorny problem. Both scores are the creation of a master, who uses all means with the highest consciousness. The music to "Turandot" has benn known mainly as an orchestral suite. The singing voices have been added later on. This has resulted at times in curious objects, which are as troublesome for the singer as they are for the listener. The heavy point has therefore remained in the orchestra, in spite of the quite beautiful chorus and ensemble, which are built over the instrumental texture. The pure, naive, fairy tale tone is wonderful. The music is not trying to be profound. The greatest strength is in the primitivity, which is above all, very witty and cultured. The instruments are colorful and sound fantastic in an entirely unique way.
In this score there are place of charming tenderness and a unique instrumental impression, which are almost impossible to achieve. Through the use of original, oriental themes an exciting splendor emerges. This exoticism, however, is not the product of scientific, folklore research, but of intuitive self-immersion into the oriental mood of the subject. Here, an aesthetically strict movement of pre- Palestrina times; there, a bold thought reminisant of opera.
Everything is picturesque and strongly descriptive. Here is Busoni's most heartfelt music. He cites with great taste and a feeling of style: old forms, old rhythms, and when he writes coloraturas, he sculpts them with precision. It should be emphasized that the substance of this music is not really great. Everything seems somewhat bloodless and thin, cooler aesthetically, rather than warm-blooded and sensual. Only occasionally does a genuine melody bloom; every idea seems distilled and brought to the ultimate formula. Yet the score is full of subtle finesse, which is quite charming for the expert. This is even more true for the music of "Arlechino". The uniqueness of the musical material forbade a wider musical treatment. However, there are many witty, sparkling allusions in the score. Over the gruesome scorn of this 'commedia dell'arte', and over the wounded irony of the words, is floating a music of gracious impudence and capricious moodiness, and an unusual and witty sharpness of character. It is full of clever and sparkling ideas which highlight its creative strength.
Besides these two stage works, the master presented the world with yet another comedy, 'Die Brautwahi', which is after the comedy by E.T.A. Hoffman. The score is flowing over with genial notions, but unfortunately has been doomed to silence over the years. Only the "Concert Suite" gives proof of its existence. Busoni wanted to draw on the totality of his life's work in his, "Faust", whose beautiful, profound poetry comes from him. He worked until his death on this score, which he managed to complete. Among those who are close to Busoni, is Philip Jarnach (who was born in Paris, but this Spaniard is at home in Germany) who is the most important. He has created one of the most remarkable achievements of chamber music with the "String quintet" op. 10. In him is the living spirit of genuine polyphony, and a rare power for independent, self-creating expression. This spirit again makes the "Sinfonia Brevis", which appears as opus 14 for orchestra, an entirely astonishing work. With its dark, tragic mood, it burdens heavily the listener, with its fascinating impression in a highly personal style. The intensity of this expression of a noble and characteristic melody ahieves here, especially in the last part, a summit which is seldom attained in the new music. The most convincing work created by Jarnach is his "String Quartet", which is brimming with invention flowing from the most profound sources, created with such superiority, that the unity between contents and form, which is most difficult to achieve, is here realized. Philip Jarnach is already today, barely over thirty, a master, very mature for his age, and self-assured.