MUSICAL COMPOSITION

INFLUENCES IN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC 163has only three courses open to it; either it is a singlemovement without companions, or it is a series of shortmovements held together by a chain, or it is whatWagner, in the excerpt quoted above, called "Neitherfish nor Besh," in other words, amorphous. The writingof such a work therefore is, from the point of viewof concentration, far more difficult than that of theolder broken form, and if the balance is not observedto a fraction, it will be invertebrate. The student hadbetter, therefore, note at once that the writing of" Fantasies" is not the broad and easy way out ofdifficulties that it appears to be at first sight. Hemust also remember the value of moments of silencein music, those gaps which rest the hearer in theintervals, and by their very rarity attract his attentionin the course of the movement. They are the breathingplaces for the lungs of sound. If a fantasy exceedsthe length of a movement in sonata form, the excusethat there are no other movements to follow it will notavail to acquit the composer of the offence of outlastinghis welcome. This tabloid preparation of the three orfour movements of a sonata must contain all theingredients of the prescription, and yet not exceedthe proportions of anyone of them. Then, again,the themes must be clear and intelligible to the hearer,and this needs what is termed "spacing." The difficultyof ensuring this, without loss of breathing roomwhen they are concentrated into the smallest possiblespace, must be obvious. If they are planted too closelytogether, it will be impossible to see the wood for thetrees. The subjects, therefore, must be conceived inminiature so as to ensure their proportion to eachother and to the whole design. A composer cannot