ever, it would
be betraying the intentions of Mozart to execute literally many passages
in concertos written by that author for the piano. At times he would
write a veritable scheme only, upon which he would improvise. However,
one should not imitate Kalkbrenner, who, in executing at Paris the great
concerto in C Major of Mozart, had rewritten all its passages in a
different manner from the author. On the other hand, when I played at
the Conservatoire in Paris Mozart's magnificent concerto in C Minor, I
would have thought I was committing a crime in executing literally the
piano part of the Adagio, which would have been absurd if thus presented
in the midst of an orchestra of great tonal wealth. There as elsewhere
the letter kills; the spirit vivifies. But in a case like that one must
know Mozart and assimilate his style, which demands a long study.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

[1] Plain Song (Fr. _Plain Chant_) was the earliest form of Christian
church music. As its name indicates, it was a plain, artless chant
without rhythm, accent, modulation or accompaniment, and was first sung
in unison. Oriental or Grecian in origin, it had four keys called
Authentic Modes, to which were added later four more called Plagal
Modes. These modes, called Phrygian, Dorian, Lydian, etc., are merely
different presentations in the regular order of the notes of the C Major
scale--first, with D as the initial or tonic note, then with E _et seq_.
They lack the sentiment of a leading seventh note. In these weird keys
Plain Song was conceived for psalms, graduals, introits, and other
offices of the primitive church. Such music was generally called
Gregorian, because St. Gregory, Pope of Rome in the seventh century,
collected and codified it, adding thereto his own contributions. Two
centuries previous it was known as Ambrosian music, after St. Ambrose,
Bishop of Milan.

Originally, a single chorister intoned the Plain Song, to which a full
chorus responded. Later this manner was altered to antiphonal
singing--two choruses being used, one for the initial and the other for
the responsive chant. Such music thus rendered was singularly grave,
dignified, and awe-inspiring.

During the middle ages Plain Song unfortunately degenerated much from
its original sacred character, and, in one disguise or another, popular
and even indecorous songs were smuggled into it. In the time of Pope
Marcellus, 1576, Palestrina was employed to purge Gregorian music o