Schumann's Manfred Music Is a Misunderstanding

With Schumann, German music was threatened with its greatest danger. The most delicate artistry is squandered on the death. How little the German style has to do with harmony and with the ear is shown by the fact that precisely are good musicians themselves right badly. It's even the German who reads books—how lazily, how reluctantly, how badly he reads. One whose words drop down hesitatingly and coldly, as from the roof of a damp cave, counts on their dull sound and echo. And another who manipulates his language like a flexible sword, and from his arm down into his toes feels the dangerous bliss of the quivering, over-sharp blade which wishes