Jan. 9, 1879] 



NATURE 



223 



present war, and gives a detailed description of the 

 country and its geographical character, as well as of its 

 inhabitants, from an ethnographical as well as a social 

 point of view. The natural resources and military power 

 of Afghanistan are described, and particular attention has 

 been paid to an account of the communication between 

 India and Afghanistan, the lines of operation, and the 

 numerous mountain passes. There are several illus- 

 trations and an excellent map. It is published by 

 Hartleben, of Vienna. 



In a recent voyage from Melbourne to the Fiji Islands, 

 the steamer Ariel called at Lord Howe Island, where 

 twenty-five people in all were found. The island is 

 mountainous, of volcanic origin, but well-wooded, about 

 five miles long, and from one and a half to two miles 

 broad, and is situated some 400 miles east of Sydney. 

 The communication of the inhabitants with the outer 

 world is nowadays very uncertain, as whalers but rarely 

 risit them. 



THE MUSICAL ASSOCIATION^ 



'T*HE question, In what way does science enter into the 

 '*■ subject of music ? is one that by no means admits 

 of an easy answer. If we were to put it to various per- 

 sons interested in music in different ways we should find 

 tteir opinions most vague and contradictory. A university 

 scholar, or a physical lecturer, would make the science of 

 music consist entirely in the doctrines of acoustics ; while, 

 on the other hand, we should find some of the most 

 eminent musical professors telling us that these had 

 nothing to do with music at all, but that science meant 

 the study and application of the rules of musical com- 

 position. Or possibly it might even be held that a skilful 

 manipulation of the violin, or an appropriate manage- 

 ment of the voice in singing, or an intelligent phrasing of 

 pianoforte passages, or other refinements of execution, 

 constituted all the science that musicians need aspire to. 



A quarter of a century ago such a question would 

 have excited no interest. People in general were satis- 

 fied to take the art as they practically found it, and 

 troubled themselves but little as to the principles on which 

 it was based. But the march of knowledge has changed 

 the aspect of the matter. Modern philosophical investi- 

 gation has included music in the universality of its aims, 

 and the musician, however conservative, must submit to 

 a searching inquiry as to the real nattu-e of the stuff in 

 which he deals. 



The great work of Helmholtz, published in 1863, gave 

 the first real stimulus to scientific musical inquiry ; and 

 although many years passed before it became much known 

 in this country it at length aroused attention, and some of 

 the most intelligent students of the art began to see that 

 there was really something to be inquired into — the first 

 step towards accurate knowledge of any kind. They 

 observed the beneficial operation of the learned societies, 

 where papers on the subjects they embraced were brought 

 forward ; and the idea occurred to them that an asso- 

 ciation of a similar character for music would not only 

 enable the scientific questions connected with it to be 

 publicly discussed, but might also be made conducive to 

 the welfare of the art in a practical point of view. The 

 idea was mentioned to one of the most eminent men of 

 science (now president of the Royal Society), who, warmly 

 approving it, issued the following circular :' — 



" 50, Grorjenor Place, April S,, 1S74 

 " Dear Sir, — It has been suggested by several leading persons 

 interested both in the theory and practice of music, that the 



* Proceedings of the Musical Association for the Investigation and Dis- 

 cussion of Subjects connected with the Art and Science of Music. Vols. i. 



Q-i*" l^'fs' Session, 1874-5; Second Sess.on, 1375-6; Third Session, 

 t870-7; Fourth Session, 1877-8. 



formation of a society similar in the main features of its 

 organisation to existing learned societies would be a great public 

 benefit. Such a musical society might comprise among its mem- 

 bers the foremost musicians, theoretical as well as practical, of 

 the day, the principal patrons of art, and also those scientific 

 men whose researches have been directed to the science of 

 acoustics and to kindred inquiries. Its periodical meetings 

 might be devoted partly to the reading of papers upon the 

 history, the principles, and the criticism of music, partly to the 

 illustration of such papers Ijv actual performance, and partly to 

 the exhibition and discus-ion of experiments relating to theory 

 and construction of mu>ical instnuaents, or to the principles and 

 combinations of musical sounds. 



" With a view to ascertain the opinions of persons interested 

 in these subjects, and to attempt a more precise definition of the 

 objects and constitution of such a society, it is proposed to hold 

 a meeting here, at which your presence is requested on Thursday, 

 April 16, at 2.30 p.m. 



" I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, 



''(Signed) W.'Spottiswoode " 



This led to the formation of the Association whose pro- 

 ceedings are mentioned at the head of this article. The 

 rules were judiciously framed, so as to avoid the rocks 

 on which former musical societies had been shipwrecked ; 

 and the society has now gone successfully through four 

 sessions. We learn from the report just issued, at the 

 commencement of the fifth year, that the finances are 

 prosperous, that the meetings are well attended, that the 

 officers are zealous and efficient, and that a series of good 

 papers are forthcoming for the future ; from all which it 

 may be fairly inferred that the institution has taken a 

 permanent position. 



The character of the society is, of course, best displayed 

 by the contents of its Transactions. We cannot pretend 

 to review the thirty-six papers (some of them vei^' ela- 

 borate) contained in the four volumes before us ; it will 

 be an easier course to indicate briefly, in the first instance, 

 what are the "subjects connected with the art and science 

 of music " which more especially deserve "' investigation 

 and discussion," and then to see how far the papers 

 actually presented to the Association have fulfilled the 

 object aimed at in its title. 



Giving precedence to science, one may conceive that 

 the "Principles and Phenomena of Acoustics" would 

 claim attention. It is true, as has already been hinted, 

 that some eminent practical musicians repudiate the rele- 

 vancy of these inquiries, and discourage their study, on 

 the ground that a knowledge of acoustics is unnecessary 

 to the practical musician, whether composer or per- 

 former.* 



But fortunately the general spread of education suf- 

 ficiently disposes of arguments of this kind. There 

 are, and no doubt always will be, persons who are 

 satisfied with the minimum amount of knowledge to 

 enable them to earn their daily bread, but it is to be 

 hoped the number is decreasing every day. A man who 

 lives by an art will, if his mind be properly constituted, 

 be in no wise reluctant to learn all he can about it, even 

 though the knowledge may not be immediately conver- 

 tible into money. Musicians must, in spite of the dis- 

 paraging opinion of some of their leaders, be treated 

 as intelligent beings, who have minds capable of enlighten- 

 ment and instruction, and surely there is nothing un- 

 reasonable in assuming that the philosophical principles 

 on which their art depejads must present some interest to 

 them, if laid before them in an intelligible form. The 

 doctrine that such knowledge should be confined to 

 cultivated amateurs, and forbidden to professional musi- 

 cians, is simply a libel on the intelligence of those to 

 whom we owe enjoyment of so high an order. If, then, these 

 principles are to be studied, the science of acoustics must 

 necessarily form the basis of the study. The splendid 



2 It is a "remarkable example of this view that in a new elaborate and 

 voluminous English " Dictionary of Music," now m cciirse cf publication, 

 the word Acoustics finds no place. 



