accuracy to allow of their being read and clearly comprehended several
centuries later. Contemporary composers leave much less scope than
their predecessors did for the whims of performers. Genius is entitled
to impose its own requirements. The reasonable observer today asks
that the work of genius should be preserved exactly as it was originally
conceived.
This represents a triumph of human genius which is too seldom
mentioned by sceptical or pessimistic observers. The disappointments
we experience from the moves and counter-moves of politics might
incline us to believe that the chances of understanding among the
peoples, among men, are very poor or even non-existent. Such an atti-
tude overlooks the fact that the nations, in spite of quarrels, contro-
versies and haggling, have managed to agree on certain essential
services, for example postal services, air and sea navigation. To these
we may add musical notation, bearing in mind, of course, that not all
the peoples have yet adopted a universal system in this respect. It is a
question of time. All will eventually come round to it. I realized this
during my recent visit to Japan.
There is a classical form of music in Japan, which is performed either
alone, or as an accompaniment to dancing, or, again, as a background
for choir and actors in N6 or Kabuki dramas. Like almost all Oriental
and Far Eastern music, it is monodic. It has been accurately recorded
by various modern processes, on disc, tape and wire. I do not think
that it can be satisfactorily reproduced by the international system of
notation, as the latter makes no proper provision for some of its inter-
vals. But Japan, without in any way renouncing its own classic art, is
taking an active interest in Western music. We were surprised, in
Nagoya, to hear young violinists belonging to the Talent-Education
Association-children of 6, 8 or 10 years of age-who were able to
play, from memory, concertos by Vivaldi, Bach and Mozart, and deal
admirably with Western polyphony. I travelled with musicians who
were coming to Paris to study the music of our classical and modern
composers; they have naturally adopted what we may, even now, term
the international system of notation. Music thus furnishes a strong
bond between the peoples. It calls for no translation. It enables men of
different races, men who do not speak the same articulate language,
to work together, achieve an harmonious union, and share the same
emotions.
This brings us to a cardinal problem-the problem of the meaning to be
attributed to pure music, to music without words, without argument.