Music after the great war, and other studies

In Short

Carl Van Vechten’s 1915 collection of essays documents a seismic shift in modern performing arts, writing from the front lines of a cultural revolution. He analyzes how the trauma and displacement of the First World War, alongside the emergence of avant-garde composition and stage design, are reshaping European and American theater. By championing groundbreaking figures in music, dance, and scenography, Van Vechten captures the immediate energy of an artistic era breaking away from traditional forms. His work remains a vital historical document because it captures the birth of modernism with sharp critical foresight and infectious enthusiasm.

The Story

Van Vechten opens his study by contemplating the state of music in the wake of global conflict, challenging conservative critics who view modern experimentation as a passing fad. He rejects the notion that musical history ended with classical masters or romantic giants, arguing instead that modern dissonances are the natural progression of the art. He surveys the innovative landscape of Paris, highlighting early whole-tone experimenters like Erik Satie and Alexis Fanelli, while urging Western audiences to turn their eyes toward Russia’s rich operatic traditions. Moving from general criticism to specific institutions, he attacks the stagnant habits of concert halls and opera houses that treat living music like static museum exhibits, continuously playing worn-out repertoire to audiences who barely comprehend it.

The focus then shifts to the modern stage, where Van Vechten explores the transformative power of the Russian Ballet under Serge de Diaghilew. He examines how this company unites music, movement, and visual design into a singular, overwhelming theatrical experience. Through this collective spirit, modern composers find a fearless public platform. Van Vechten pays special attention to Igor Stravinsky, hailing him as the definitive new giant of Russian music. He charts Stravinsky’s emergence from the national school of the "Five"—Borodin, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Cui, and Balakirev—and details his brilliant progression through landmark ballets that embrace raw rhythm, economy of expression, and bold tonal choices over conventional elaboration.

Turning to vocal music and character, Van Vechten offers a fascinating look at Jules Massenet and the formidable sopranos who brought his heroines to life. He traces the composer's creative relationships with legendary performers like Sybil Sanderson, Mary Garden, and Lucy Arbell, showing how specific voices directly inspired legendary operatic scores. Finally, the narrative moves into the visual and spatial realm of the theater. Van Vechten critiques the clumsy, artificial painted flats of traditional set design and champions a complete visual revolution. He evaluates the fiery color palettes of Russian painters like Léon Bakst and Nicholas Roerich alongside the revolutionary spatial theories of Adolphe Appia and Edward Gordon Craig. In closing, he shows how these visionary scenographers strip away cheap illusion to make light, color, and architectural space active participants in the dramatic narrative.

How It Unfolds

The modern breaking point Van Vechten opens by confronting conservative claims that post-war art will retreat to traditional styles. He argues that modern dissonances in music are direct descendants of past masterpieces, highlighting early Parisian experimenters and Russian operas as the true path forward.

Breaking out of the museum The author launches a sharp critique against conventional symphony orchestras and opera companies for endlessly repeating familiar classics like Beethoven's symphonies. He demands that concert halls stop acting as dusty museums and start serving as vibrant spaces for living, contemporary composers.

The Russian Ballet's triumph Exploring Serge de Diaghilew’s famous company, Van Vechten illustrates how dance, set design, and radical orchestral scores combine under a unified group spirit. He shows how this collaborative movement liberated modern performance from the rigid dominance of single star performers.

Stravinsky's bold arrival Focusing on Igor Stravinsky, Van Vechten traces the composer's rise from the legacy of Russia's national school to the cutting edge of modernism. He explains how Stravinsky abandoned traditional musical repetition in favor of direct, terse expression and startling rhythmic power.

Massenet and his muses The narrative turns to the romantic opera stage, detailing Jules Massenet's artistic relationships with extraordinary female singers. Van Vechten depicts how the unique vocal ranges and stage presences of singers like Sybil Sanderson and Mary Garden inspired entirely new operatic works.

The visual revolution Van Vechten tackles stage decoration, condemning realistic painted backdrop pictures that clash with three-dimensional actors. He praises the intense, vibrant color palettes of Russian painters and calls for simpler, more evocative theatrical settings inspired by classic art.

Architects of the modern stage The final section contrasts the eccentric, uncompromising vision of Edward Gordon Craig with the foundational theories of Adolphe Appia. Van Vechten shows how Appia’s subtle use of lighting and mood transforms stage settings into living, symbolic participants in the drama.

The People

• Igor Stravinsky: The central musical hero of the collection, a visionary composer who inherits the expressive sincerity of the Russian national school. He rejects traditional musical prolixity, forging a fierce new orchestral language through driving rhythms, radical harmonies, and concise dramatic pacing.

• Jules Massenet: The prolific French opera composer whose creative life is fueled by the talents of remarkable female singers. Gentle, adaptable, and deeply attentive to vocal tone, he writes masterworks tailored specifically to the physical and vocal traits of his chosen muses.

• Sybil Sanderson: The stunning American soprano from California whose extraordinary three-octave voice directly inspires Massenet to compose Esclarmonde and Thaïs, launching her into overnight stardom across the Paris opera scene.

• Mary Garden: The charismatic, fiercely independent operatic star who captures American audiences in Thaïs and daringly takes on male roles, such as the title character in Le Jongleur de Notre Dame, winning over the composer with her dramatic commitment.

• Edward Gordon Craig: The brilliant but highly eccentric English theatrical director and theorist who operates a exclusive school in Florence. Uncompromising and visionary, he leaves practical production details behind while issuing radical manifestos on simplifying stage space.

• Adolphe Appia: The pioneering Swiss theorist whose groundbreaking ideas on lighting and atmospheric stage design lay the technical foundation for modern theater. He views the scenic designer not as an independent painter, but as a devoted slave to the author's text.

In Its Own Voice

"I really do not think that a modern symphony orchestra ought to be allowed to play more than one Beethoven symphony a season."

Van Vechten argues against the lazy repetition of classical masterworks, demanding that major performing arts organizations give their stages to living creators instead of preserving a static museum.

"There are no slovenly details. The wild orgy of the Polovtsian dances of Prince Igor is invariably exposed with a feeling on the part of the spectator that he is witnessing the intense enjoyment of the participants."

Describing the unmatched energy of Diaghilew's Russian Ballet, the author highlights how complete ensemble devotion turns complex choreography into a living, spontaneous spectacle.

"The moment a human being of three dimensions steps on the stage you have that human being posing against badly painted pictures."

In his critique of conventional scenery, Van Vechten points out the absurd visual clash between real actors and flat, artificial theatrical backdrops.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores the tension between dead tradition and living expression. Van Vechten argues that art stalls when institutions prioritize comfort over innovation. By endlessly repeating accepted masterpieces, orchestras and theaters turn vibrant cultural spaces into sterile historical preservation sites. Real artistic progress demands risk, dissonance, and a willingness to shock audiences out of passive habits.

The essays also examine how true collaboration transforms the creative process. Van Vechten demonstrates that the most exciting artistic leaps—such as the Russian Ballet or modern stage design—happen when music, visual art, and movement merge into a shared vision. True modernism is not an accidental break from the past, but an active, organic evolution that requires dynamic teamwork and bold leadership.

Why Read It Today

This essay collection appeals to lovers of classical music, ballet history, and theatrical design who want an insider's view of the modernist revolution. Reading Van Vechten feels like sitting beside a sharp, deeply informed critic who is witnessing history in real time. He writes with crisp clarity, steering clear of dense academic jargon and overly promotional praise. Instead, he grounds his arguments in concrete details, precise performance memories, and vivid portraits of the artists involved.

Modern readers should keep in mind that the book reflects the specific artistic landscape of 1915. Its focus remains firmly on European and Russian developments, viewing global culture through a distinct early twentieth-century Western lens. Because these essays were written as individual studies, readers will notice occasional shifts in topic between chapters. However, Van Vechten’s sharp insights, witty observations, and passion for artistic risk make this collection an enduring guide to one of the most exciting eras in performance history.