Seventhly, this leads to the more general remark that the inflections of all speech are much more limited in character, number, and scope than those of the trained singing voice. Whence it comes that the imitations of speech in declamatory music have a tendency to fall into a comparatively small number of forms, which, even when most skilfully disguised, are easily recognized by an attentive ear, and soon weary with their sameness. The basis of declamatory music is in fact no broader than that of the old _recitativo secco_, and it would seem unreasonable to hope that any ingenuity in the superstructure can long disguise this, or save itself ultimately from the same condemnation.
Eighthly, in consideration of the commonest difficulties which arise in setting to music words which have not been specially contrived for it, it appears that, compared with a more purely musical way, the declamatory method is absolutely at a disadvantage. It can do nothing with parentheses or dependent clauses. The weak polysyllables, which have fit place in the diction and rhythm of verse, may be helped out by convention or by pure musical distraction; but declamation can only make them ugly. And as those for their weakness of sound, so other words unable for their sense to bear the stress of singing,--such as metaphorical words of slight meaning, which in poetry contribute but a part of themselves to the main idea,--these declamation would make ridiculous. Nor, on the other hand, with the words and phrases which are generally held most suitable for music is the declamatory method any richer or happier: these are the well-sounding words of broad meaning and their common collocations, which require a fresh imagination to revivify them. But the musician was always at his ease with these words, because his music was free to adorn them with any quantity of enrichment; and this commanded the attention the more completely when the words required none. Now, if they are to be declaimed, they must return to their old prosaic nakedness; and since the attention is to be called to them, they will be even worse off than ever.
The above remarks are sufficient for my purpose; but so many negations may provoke the reader to look for some positive indication of the writer’s opinion as to what sort of words are best suited for music, and what sort of setting they should have. This question is far too wide to be treated summarily; and if it has not been given to me to assist in solving it practically, I cannot venture to meddle with it further. I had hoped, as a matter of fact, to contrive something; but it seems to me that the musician’s difficulty in advancing towards a solution is much increased by the necessity of pleasing large audiences. It is certain that the final appeal is not to the first hearing of any large audience in this country. What sort of music is really in request may be judged from the repertories of our military bands and the programmes of the Royal concerts. Even the highest class concerts I have seen interlarded with unworthy items, which were rapturously received by the fashionable hearers who did not recognize the trap.