THE MUSICAL AMATEUR.
THERE are signs that the soul of the musical ama- teur is vexed within him, on no less vital a matter than his own rai.son d'iire. Let it not be imagined that there is any hope that the peripatetic bag- pipes and concertina will no longer disturb our early slumbers, or that the wicked comet-player will cease from troubling. I speak not of those thoughtless and selfish beings who perform for their own pleasure, re- gardless of their neigh- bours' ears, but of the amateur who is conscious whom the drawing - room where he pursues his mission, for is a Happy hunting-ground victims with a righteous zeal for their musical edifi- cation. Even of these the great majority are as yet full of confidence, but the more reflective begin to feel their zeal abating under the in- fluence of doubts as to whether they are discharging their proper function, or whether indeed they have any function to discharge. It is unfortunate that those who are thus troubled with misgivings as to the value of their own performances are generally those who have least reason to be so, for in music, as in everything else, the greater the knowledge and capa- city, the more severe will be the self-criticism. The outlook for society is bad if the capable amateur per- formers are going to withdraw, and leave the field in possession of their less humble and less competent brethren. How is this survival of the unfittest to be avoided ? What are the scruples of the seceders, and can they be overcome ?
If the difficulty is only now beginning to be felt, the cause must be sought among the characteristic facts of the recent development of musical culture, and the chief part of it probably lies in the ever-increasing opportunities of hearing professional performers. The trained musician is abroad now, like the schoolmaster, and the ministrations of the amateur are losing their prestige. It might be imagined that competition with professional attainments would rather destroy the less worthy forms of amateur music, but a little consideration will show that this is not the effect. In the appreciation of art there are many stages, and whatever be the taste and capacity of a performer, he may be sure of finding an audience somewhere whom he can please; but in regard to music, the public may roughly be divided into two classes, those who take the trouble to go to concerts, and those who do not. In a few cases, of course, questions of time and money may confuse the issue, but on the whole it is safe to say that the concert-going test forms a pretty clear line of distinction between the musical and the non-musical public. The term ' non-musical,' however, must be taken in a relative sense, for there are very few to whom it could be strictly applied. The great majority of the non-concert-goers are people who have a mild enjoyment of music as a help to conviviality, as an after-dinner sedative, as a pleasant variety or accompaniment to conversation. This is the class with whom the second-rate amateur enjoys undisturbed authority. He need be in no fear of having his credentials questioned here, or his performances submitted to unfavourable comparisons. But the amateur of genuine artistic capacity, who will not degrade his art, either by pandering to a perverted taste, or by consenting to entertain those who listen with one ear only, is in a very different position. His appeal is to the true lovers of music, who have now such ample opportunities of hearing professional performers that their standard of excellence is rapidly rising to a level beyond the reach of all but a very few. Those amateurs alone, who are not only possessed of great natural gifts, but are able to give them systematic cultivation, can hope to find their position unaffected by the more exacting demands of the musical public. The others begin to shrink before a criticism which they know to be inevitable — which indeed they are the first to impose upon themselves, and the higher their ideal, the more sensible are they of their own shortcomings, and the more completely are their efforts paralysed.
The amateur singer is somewhat differently placed from the instrumental performer. The possession of a fine voice is no guarantee of a high artistic ideal, and one may know how to sing effectiely, and yet care only to please the multitude, or to win admiration by display. It is not uncommon therefore to find amateur singers of great natural gifts making their chief appeal to comparatively unmusical audiences, where they can be sure of an easy triumph. Of such there is nothing to be said. If they are willing to sell their souls for the applause of easily-satisfied listeners, verily they have their reward. But even the singer of finer taste has this advantage over the player on any instrument, that he can give pleasure through a wider range of musical intelligence, so that he can generally count on finding a circle of appreciation without the need for lowering his standard.
It is the amateur pianist whose position is mostly at stake. Here exceptional powers of execution are oftener found along with a refined taste and artistic aims, and even were there any disposition to turn executive skill
