E.T.A. Hoffmann and Music by R. Murray Schafer (review)

HUMANITIES 403 the Gelegenheitsgedicht often emerges as the vehicle within which he was impelled to reflect on the at once intensely private yet necessarily public nature of his own creative existence. Indeed, the Gelegenheitsgedichte at times embody their own modality as a thematic presence within the statement made. These are some of the fascinating issues which are raised by Oppenheimer's book. At times one wishes he had not only raised but pursued them more fully. But then, this is a study which well vindicates the caution of its enterprise and methodology. (MARTIN SWALES) R. Murray Schafer, E. T.A. Hoffmann and Music. Toronto: University of Toronto Press 1975, x, 202, $12.50 An evocative book by a man of learning, imagination, feeling, and wit, in which translations of Hoffmann's writings alternate with critical essays and analyses. According to the author, 'This book is about romanticism as it affects music,' but it also vividly presents Hoffmann as composer of the 'the first truly romantic German opera' (p 27) and other works, as conductor, pianist, jurist, painter, stage-designer, and above all as writer and music critic. Schafer points with real insight to Hoffmann'sstrengths as a critic and sees him as proclaimer of 'the gospel of romanticism,' as 'propagandist for the music of his time' (p 10), and as 'an epoch-making critic, one of the greatest in the history of music' (p 96). He also shows how Hoffmann contributed to the romantic view of the musician or composer as a man of genius, 'a divine luminary' (p 163). Hoffmann is seen as one of the first to call for Bach's revival and one of the first champions of Beethoven. Schafer suggests that his dialogue-essay, 'The Poet and the Composer,' laid the philosophical groundwork for all romantic opera and the later works of Wagner. The book will be of interest to the student of literature. Schafer treats the dominant concepts of romantic thinkers and writers at some length and draws interesting parallels between the literature and music of the romantic period. He frequently refers to Jean Paul, Tieck, Novalis, and the Schlegels and gives useful introductions to Kater Murr and other works of Hoffmann. He brings together illustrations of Hoffmann's use of synaesthetic metaphor and himself indulges, on at least one occasion, in synaesthetic metaphor and other extravagances: Just as we may see the graceful undulations of the feminine physique in a Louis xv chair or an Art Nouveau pattern ... so in the serpentine lines of the Italian aria with its affluence of embellishment we find a sensuousness that can be tasted with both the ear and the eye - for even the appearance of the notes on the page describes in voluptuous turns and passionate thrusts a true geography of eros (52 ££). 404 LETTERS IN CANADA Schafer tells us a good deal about the extreme romantic view of music as the 'ideal metaphor for the mysterious spirit of nature, the divine essence which pervaded all things' (p 8), 'a reverberation from the profound and secret depths of some Urzeit before the creation of the world' (p 157), and 'the mystical Sanscrit of nature' (p 137)' Schafer's prose, expressive and often scintillating, occasionally, however , becomes unidiomatic and extravagant. I quote only a few examples (italicizing of English words mine): 'the Kenner ... may have moved the parts in holy procession through the odd counterpoint exercise' (p 130); 'German resthetic theorizing ... regarded a work of art in the pure state of antisepsis' (p 141); 'If music is ... the one truly "romantic" art, why mustit be disclosed through the veil of verbal and visual euphemism' (p 155); 'Silence is rarely provoked by the romanticists' (p 157). On the whole the translations are fine, free recreations, with many inventive touches. I wonder, however, why Schafer chose to translate 'Kammergericht' by 'Supreme Court of Judicature' (p 26); and'all clocks, even those that were late' (p 145) for 'AIle Uhren, selbst die tragsten' is decidedly off-target. I found only one obvious typographical error ('sings an aria Crescentini's opera,' p 176), but insufficient care in proof-reading may account for one or two other textual oddities. (GORDON L. TRACY) Brian...