John K Paine

JOHN K. PAINE.

Professor Paine was born in Portland, Maine, January
9, 1839, where his musical training was begun by Her-
mann Kotschmar; later he went to Berlin, where he
was a pupil of Haupt upon the organ and in counter-
point and of Wieprecht in composition, from 1858 to
1861. He returned to America in 1861 and in 1862 was
appointed teacher of music in Harvard University; in
1876 he was raised to the rank of full professor and has
ever since remained in this position. Professor Paine's
first position in this country was due to his attainments
as organist, as already mentioned; but through his ap-
pointment at Harvard he had only a short career as vir-
tuoso organist. As teacher of musical composition he
has been of the greatest possible service to the younger
generation of students and composers, and most of the
Boston composers since his time have been his pupils
and several of them have had from him their entire
training. Among these is the distinguished composer,
Mr. Arthur Foote.

Professor Paine turned his attention to oratorio, and
his great work, ''St. Peter," was performed in Portland
and in Boston in 1872. Mr. Theodore Thomas has
played Paine's "Spring" symphony and several others
of his orchestral works. Later Professor Paine has de-
voted himself to opera. For a long time he was at
work upon a "FalstaP which has never been performed.
In response to an inquiry as to his ideals and methods
he gave only the following short reply :

"My time is so much taken up that I shall be obliged

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JOHN K. PAINE.
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JOHN K. PAINE. 175

to make a concise answer to your questions. Foremost
among my works I place my opera of "Azara," which
thus far has had no prospect of performance. This is
a tragic-romantic work. I will send you a notice there-
of, which will give you an idea of its scope.

"My 'Oedipus Tyrannus,' nativity, spring symphony,
symphonic poem to Shakespeare's Tempest,' Island
fantasy, you know.

"No four-hand arrangements of my orchestral works
have been published. Among the few songs and piano
pieces that I have published, I should draw attention to
the matin song, 'I Wore Your Roses' and Harvard
hymn. Piano pieces the album published by Ditson,
'Fuga Giocoso,' published by Schmidt. As to my ideals,
I can only say that I have always striven for what is
elevated, artistic and free. I cannot enter into the de-
tails as regards the class of compositions you wish to
use, as this would require more time than I can afford."

Concerning the opera, "Azara," Mr. Walter R. Spal-
ding writes :

"Professor Paine has written his own libretto as well
as the music, and both words and music show genius
of the highest order ; the words in their dramatic pow-
er and poetic beauty, and the music in that it is free
and original in spirit while preserving symmetical form
and proportion. The scene is laid in Provence about
the time of the early Crusades. The opera is romantic
in spirit, with a thrilling plot of many tragic situations
and a happy denouement. The action centers around the
invasion of Provence by the Saracens, and the music
is strikingly characteristic in its use of oriental color,
while the dramatic portions are of great vigor and in-
tensity. The style may be said to be Professor Paine's



176 THE GREAT IN MUSIC: FIRST YEAR.

own, for it is neither like that of the modern French
opera with its somewhat lighter mixture of the serious
and the comic, nor like that of Wagner with its long
monologues and extreme use of leading motives. The
subject of the opera is not mythical, but one of human
interest, and it makes an instant appeal to the enthu-
siasm and emotion of the hearer.

"All musicians who have made a study of 'Azara' are
convinced of its great originality, its striking harmonies
and melodies, masterly orchestration, dramatic power
and picturesque scenic features. 'Azara' marks a new
epoch in American music, and it will be a shame if this
opera is not first brought out on the stage in the land
that produced it."

"THE LORD IS FAITHFUL."
(For Contralto.)

Owing to so much of Professor Paine's music being
in large forms and for many instruments, few things
are available for illustrations of this kind. Among the
best is the contralto solo, "The Lord Is Faithful and
Righteous to Forgive Our Sins," from the oratorio of
"St. Peter." It is No. 18 in that work, occurring after
the scene of the denial of Our Lord by St. Peter and
his repentance and forgiveness. The air is classical in
the elegance of its style, and thoroughly well conceived
for the text and the singer as well. It begins in the
reposeful spirit natural to the text, but at the words :
"If we walk in the light" the spirit changes and a most
effective and dramatic climax is made upon the word
"light" in the key of A major. Later on the first melody
is heard again with additional refinement of treatment.



JOHN K. PAINE. 177

NOCTURNE FOR PIANOFORTE.

(6th Grade.)

Among the few instrumental pieces of Professor
Paine is this nocturne, which, after remaining unwritten
for years and frequently played by the author at the re-
quest of his friends, was then written down, in which
form it remained unpublished for quite a long time
again. It is an excellent melody and effectively written.
The mood of the nocturne is properly that of a quiet
sadness, or confidence, such as is engendered by the
darkness and the serious reflections which naturally
spring up in the mind when the incitation of the sense
of sight is temporarily shut off.