MUSIC AS A SEDATIVE


Music, the most social of the arts, and that undoubtedly which possesses
the greatest future, presents enormous attractions to the bourgeoisie.
In the first place, it obviates the necessity of conversation; it is not
necessary to know whether your neighbor is a sceptic or a believer, a
materialist or a spiritualist; no possible argument can arise concerning
the meaning and metaphysics of life. Instead of war, there is peace. The
music lover may argue, but his conceptions are entirely circumscribed by
the music, and have no relation whatever either to philosophy or to
politics as such. The wars are small wars, and spill no blood. A
Wagnerite may be a freethinker or a Catholic, an anarchist or a
conservative. Even painting, which is an art of miserable general ideas,
is not so far removed from intelligence as is music. This explains why
the Greeks were able to attain such heights in philosophy, and yet fell
to such depths in music.

Music has an additional merit. It lulls to sleep the residuum of
disinterested malice in the soul.

As a majority of the lovers of painting and sculpture are second-hand
dealers and Jews in disguise, music lovers, for the most part, are a
debased people, envious, embittered and supine.




CONCERNING WAGNER