omposers at a Glance

An Impertinent Catalogue

IGOR STRAVINSKY: Paul Revere rides in Russia.

CYRIL SCOTT: A young man playing Debussy in a Maidenhead villa.

BALILLA PRATELLA: Pretty noises in funny places.

ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK: His master's voice.

LEO ORNSTEIN: A small boy upsetting a push-cart.

GIACOMO PUCCINI: Pinocchio in a passion.

ERIK SATIE: A mandarin with a toy pistol firing into a wedding cake.

PAUL DUKAS: A giant eating bonbons.

RICCARDO ZANDONAI: Brocade dipped in garlic.

ERICH KORNGOLD: The white hope.

ARNOLD SCHOENBERG: Six times six is thirty-six--and six is ninety-two!

MAURICE RAVEL: Tomorrow ... and tomorrow ... and tomorrow....

CLAUDE DEBUSSY: Chantecler crows _pianissimo_ in whole tones.

RICHARD STRAUSS: An ostrich _not_ hiding his head.

SIR EDWARD ELGAR: The footman leaves his accordion in the bishop's
carriage.

ITALO MONTEMEZZI: Three Kings--but no aces.

PERCY ALDRIDGE GRAINGER: An effete Australian chewing tobacco.

_August 8, 1917_.

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: One evidence of this is that his works are eagerly sought
after and treated tenderly by the second-hand book-sellers. Some of
them command fancy prices.]

[Footnote 2: For an account of Peladan see my essay on Erik Satie in
"Interpreters and Interpretations."]

[Footnote 3: You will find an account of Balzac's interesting theory
regarding names and letters, which may well have had a direct
influence on Edgar Saltus, in Saltus's "Balzac," p. 29 _et seq._ For a
precisely contrary theory turn to "The Naming of Streets" in Max
Beerbohm's "Yet Again."]

[Footnote 4: "Wit and Wisdom from Edgar Saltus" by G. F. Monkshood and
George Gamble, and "The Cynic's Posy," a collection of epigrams, the
majority of which are taken from Saltus, may be brought forward in
evidence.]

[Footnote 5: Certain books by Edgar Saltus have been announced from
time to time but have never appeared; these include: "Annochiatura,"
"Immortal Greece," "Our Lady of Beauty," "Cimmeria," "Daughters of
Dream," "Scaffolds and Altars," "Prince Charming," and "The Crimson
Curtain."]

[Footnote 6: Houghton, Mifflin and Co,; 1884. Reprinted 1887 and
1890.]

[Footnote 7: Houghton, Mifflin and Co.; 1885. Reprinted by the Belford
Co.]

[Footnote 8: George J. Coombes; 1886. Reprinted by Brentano's.]

[Footnote 9: Scribner and Welford; 1887. Revised edition, Belford,
Clarke and Co.; 1