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His book "In Arcady" contains pastoral scenes, notably an infectious romp that deserves its legend, "They danced as though they never would grow old." The next year his opus 20, "A Book of Songs," was published. It contains, among other things of merit, a lullaby, called "Sleep, Little Tulip," with a remarkably artistic and effective pedal-point on two notes (the submediant and the dominant) sustained through the entire song with a fine fidelity to the words and the lullaby spirit; a "Nocturne" in which Nevin has revealed an unsuspected voluptuousness in Mr. Aldrich' little lyric, and has written a song of irresistible climaxes. The two songs, "Dîtes-Moi" and "In der Nacht," each so completely true to the idiom of the language of its poem, are typical of Nevin's cosmopolitanism, referred to before. This same unusual ability is seen in his piano pieces as well as in his songs. He knows the difference between a chanson and a Lied, and in "Rechte Zeit" has written with truth to German soldierliness as he has been sympathetic with French nuance in "Le Vase Brisé," the effective song "Mon Desire," which in profile suggests Saint-Saëns' familiar Delilah-song, the striking "Chanson des Lavandières" and "Rapelle-Toi," one of Nevin's most elaborate works, in which Alfred De Musset's verse is splendidly set with much enharmonious color. Very Italian, too, is the "Serenade" with accompaniment
It's almost six o'clock." Eleanor chose Nevin's "Venetian Love Song," and Jessica again accompanied her. "You play with considerable expression," said Eleanor, as Jessica rose from the piano stool. "How could I help it?" replied Jessica, smiling. "You inspired me." Eleanor accompanied the four girls down the walk to the gate and repeatedly invited them to come again.
The unfortunate officer gave chase, pursuing the assassin along the principal thoroughfare, his life-blood ebbing fast, until, on reaching the front of Nevin's Hotel, he fell dead. Arrests were made, and, as before, the criminal was undoubtedly secured. Again no evidence. The murderer was liberated, but he wisely left the country, and will hardly return.
"You mustn't talk that way" said Sheffield hurriedly. "So you are a musician, are you?" He asked the question with a jaunty confidential air. "I used to play the piano a little, if that's what you mean," said Andrews. "Music has never been the art I had most interest in. But many things have moved me intensely.... Debussy and those beautiful little things of Nevin's.
Her love of the violin is a direct inheritance from him, and she may reach his heart through her music. At any rate, it is worth trying." After Miss Nevin's departure Anne and Grace entertained Mrs. Gray with the promised gossip, and it was well toward ten o'clock before they turned their steps toward home. The following week was a busy one.
He used to insist that a man does not become a musician by practising so many hours a day at the piano, but by absorbing an influence from all the arts and all the interests of life, from architecture, painting, and even politics." The effect of such broad training enjoyed rarely enough by music students is very evident in Nevin's compositions. They are never narrow or provincial.
It is to me finer than Henselt's perfect "Liebeslied," possibly because the ravishing sweetness of the woman's voice answering the sombre plea of the man gives it a double claim on the heart. The setting of "Du bist wie eine Blume," however, hardly does justice either to Heine's poem, or to Nevin's art.
It was so high and sweet and clear that the listener caught her breath in sheer amazement. She stood spellbound, while the wonderful voice sang on and on to the last note of the exquisite "Serenade" that seemed to end in a long-drawn sigh. Marjorie knocked lightly, but no one responded. The singer had begun again. This time it was Nevin's "Oh That We Two Were Maying."
Golden colors flying, Slant from tree to tree; Such release and dying, Sweet would seem to me. Copyright, 1889, by G. Schirmer, Jr. Nevin's songs, whose only littleness is in their length, though treated with notable individuality, are founded in principle on the Lieder of Schumann and Franz.
The first grand piano ever taken across the Allegheny Mountains was carted over for Nevin's mother. From his earliest infancy Nevin was musically inclined, and, at the age of four, was often taken from his cradle to play for admiring visitors. To make up for the deficiency of his little legs, he used to pile cushions on the pedals so that he might manipulate them from afar.
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