OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 124

124.—MARA'S REVENGE.
Madame Mara was blessed with a rascally husband who persisted in too frequently looking on the wine when it was red. Notwithstanding the brutality and drunkenness her liege lord engaged in, she supported him and kept him in money for many a day. At one time this gentleman was for some offense separated from his wife by order of the King of Prussia, and made to play the big drum in a regimental band instead of the violoncello in the court orchestra.
In spite of her husband's loose habits, Madame Mara determined to be revenged on the king for this treatment, and after a while her opportunity came. His Majesty was entertaining the Czarowitz of Russia, and had arranged a grand concert as a part of the pleasures to be offered to his distinguished guest. Mara was ordered to take part. But instead she took to her bed, and sent word to the theater that she was too ill to sing.
On the evening of the concert, shortly before time for the performance to begin, a military escort was sent to her house, and the officer in charge insisted that she get up and go with him to the opera. Mara declared that she would not.
"Don't you see I am in bed and cannot leave it?" exclaimed she.
"If that be the case, I must take you and the bed too," answered the officer.
So Mara was forced to go weeping to her dressing-room, and finally to accompany the guard to the theater. Then she thought of the old saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink," and though she were made to go to the opera she determined ​to sing in such a manner as would make the king repent of his order.
For a good part of the evening she kept to her resolve. But suddenly the audience were astonished to notice a complete change in her style of singing and acting. She had changed from her poorest to her best mood, and she seemed to excel herself in the brilliancy of her singing and the intensity of her acting. And Mara at her best was wonderful.
The secret of this sudden change was that Mara had bethought herself that if she went on in her first careless style, the heir to the Russian throne would carry away with him a very poor opinion of her abilities, and as this would be very undesirable she suddenly changed her policy, making the king the victor after all.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume III/Apologetic/The Shows, or De Spectaculis/Chapter VI

Chapter VI.
To the testimony of antiquity is added that of later games instituted in their turn, and betraying their origin from the titles which they bear even at the present day, in which it is imprinted as on their very face, for what idol and for what religious object games, whether of the one kind or the other, were designed. You have festivals bearing the name of the great Motherand Apollo of Ceres too, and Neptune, and Jupiter Latiaris, and Flora, all celebrated for a common end; the others have their religious origin in the birthdays and solemnities of kings, in public successes in municipal holidays. There are also testamentary exhibitions, in which funeral honours are rendered to the memories of private persons; and this according to an institution of ancient times. For from the first the “Ludi” were regarded as of two sons, sacred and funereal, that is in honour of the heathen deities and of the dead. But in the matter of idolatry, it makes no difference with us under what name or title it is practised, while it has to do with the wicked spirits whom we abjure. If it is lawful to offer homage to the dead, it will be just as lawful to offer it to their gods: you have the same origin in both cases; there is the same idolatry; there is on our part the same solemn renunciation of all idolatry.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume III/Apologetic/The Shows, or De Spectaculis/Chapter III

Chapter III.
Fortified by this knowledge against heathen views, let us rather turn to the unworthy reasonings of our own people; for the faith of some, either too simple or too scrupulous, demands direct authority from Scripture for giving up the shows, and holds out that the matter is a doubtful one, because such abstinence is not clearly and in words imposed upon God’s servants. Well, we never find it expressed with the same precision, “Thou shalt not enter circus or theatre, thou shalt not look on combat or show;” as it is plainly laid down, “Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not worship an idol; thou shalt not commit adultery or fraud.” But we find that that first word of David bears on this very sort of thing: “Blessed,” he says, “is the man who has not gone into the assembly of the impious, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of scorners.” Though he seems to have predicted beforehand of that just man, that he took no part in the meetings and deliberations of the Jews, taking counsel about the slaying of our Lord, yet divine Scripture has ever far-reaching applications: after the immediate sense has been exhausted, in all directions it fortifies the practice of the religious life, so that here also you have an utterance which is not far from a plain interdicting of the shows. If he called those few Jews an assembly of the wicked, how much more will he so designate so vast a gathering of heathens! Are the heathens less impious, less sinners, less enemies of Christ, than the Jews were then? And see, too, how other things agree. For at the shows they also stand in the way. For they call the spaces between the seats going round the amphitheatre, and the passages which separate the people running down, ways. The place in the curve where the matrons sit is called a chair. Therefore, on the contrary, it holds, unblessed is he who has entered any council of wicked men, and has stood in any way of sinners, and has sat in any chair of scorners. We may understand a thing as spoken generally, even when it requires a certain special interpretation to be given to it. For some things spoken with a special reference contain in them general truth. When God admonishes the Israelites of their duty, or sharply reproves them, He has surely a reference to all men; when He threatens destruction to Egypt and Ethiopia, He surely pre-condemns every sinning nation, whatever. If, reasoning from species to genus, every nation that sins against them is an Egypt and Ethiopia; so also, reasoning from genus to species, with reference to the origin of shows, every show is an assembly of the wicked.
* ↑ Ex. xx. 14.
* ↑ Ps. i. 1. [Kaye’s censure of this use of the text, (p. 366) seems to me gratuitous.]
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume III/Apologetic/The Shows, or De Spectaculis/Chapter VII

Chapter VII.
The two kinds of public games, then, have one origin; and they have common names, as owning the same parentage. So, too, as they are equally tainted with the sin of idolatry, their foundress, they must needs be like each other in their pomp. But the more ambitious preliminary display of the circus games to which the name procession specially belongs, is in itself the proof to whom the whole thing appertains, in the many images the long line of statues, the chariots of all sorts, the thrones, the crowns, the dresses. What high religious rites besides, what sacrifices precede, come between, and follow. How many guilds, how many priesthoods, how many offices are set astir, is known to the inhabitants of the great city in which the demon convention has its headquarters. If these things are done in humbler style in the provinces, in accordance with their inferior means, still all circus games must be counted as belonging to that from which they are derived; the fountain from which they spring defiles them. The tiny streamlet from its very spring-head, the little twig from its very budding, contains in it the essential nature of its origin. It may be grand or mean, no matter, any circus procession whatever is offensive to God. Though there be few images to grace it, there is idolatry in one; though there be no more than a single sacred car, it is a chariot of Jupiter: anything of idolatry whatever, whether meanly arrayed or modestly rich and gorgeous, taints it in its origin.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume III/Apologetic/The Chaplet, or De Corona/Elucidations

Elucidations.
I.
(Usages, p. 94.)
Here a reference to Bunsen’s Hippolytus, vol. III., so often referred to in the former volume, will be useful. A slight metaphrase will bring out the sense, perhaps, of this most interesting portrait of early Christian usages.
In baptism, we use trine immersion, in honour of the trinal Name, after renouncing the devil and his angels and the pomps and vanities of his kingdom. But this trinal rite is a ceremonial amplification of what is actually commanded.  It was heretofore tolerated in some places that communicants should take each one his portion, with his own hand, but now we suffer none to receive this sacrament except at the hand of the minister. By our Lord’s own precept and example, it may be received at the hour of ordinary meals, and alike by all the faithful whether men or women, yet we usually do this in our gatherings before daybreak. Offerings are made in honour of our departed friends, on the anniversaries of their deaths, which we esteem their true birthdays, as they are born to a better life. We kneel at other times, but on the Lord’s day, and from the Paschal Feast to Pentecost we stand in prayer, nor do we count it lawful to fast on Sundays. We are concerned if even a particle of the wine or bread, made ours, in the Lord’s Supper, falls to the ground, by our carelessness. In all the ordinary occasions of life we furrow our foreheads with the sign of the Cross, in which we glory none the less because it is regarded as our shame by the heathen in presence of whom it is a profession of our faith.
He owns there is no Scripture for any of these usages, in which there was an amplifying of the precepts of Christ. Let us note there was yet no superstitious usage even of this sign of the Cross. It was an act by which, in suffering “shame for Jesus’ name,” they fortified themselves against betraying the Master. It took the place, be it remembered, of innumerable heathen practices, and was a protest against them. It meant—“God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross.” I express no personal opinion as to this observance, but give the explanation which the early Christians would have given. Tertullian touched with Montanism, but not yet withdrawn from Catholic Communion, pleads the common cause of believers.
II.
(Traditions, cap. iv., p. 95.)
The traditions here argued for respect things in their nature indifferent. And as our author asserts the long continuance of such usages to be their chief justification, it is evident that he supposed them common from the Sub-apostolic age. There is nothing here to justify amplifications and traditions which, subsequently, came in like a flood to change principles of the Faith once delivered to the Saints. Even in his little plea for Montanistic revelations of some possible novelties, he pre-supposes that reason must be subject to Scripture and Apostolic Law. In a word, his own principle of “Prescription” must be honoured even in things indifferent; if novel they are not Catholic.

## Footnotes

* ↑ See Kaye, pp. 408–415.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume III/Apologetic/The Shows, or De Spectaculis/Chapter IV

Chapter IV.
Lest any one think that we are dealing in mere argumentative subtleties, I shall turn to that highest authority of our “seal” itself. When entering the water, we make profession of the Christian faith in the words of its rule; we bear public testimony that we have renounced the devil, his pomp, and his angels. Well, is it not in connection with idolatry, above all, that you have the devil with his pomp and his angels? from which, to speak briefly—for I do not wish to dilate—you have every unclean and wicked spirit. If, therefore, it shall be made plain that the entire apparatus of the shows is based upon idolatry, beyond all doubt that will carry with it the conclusion that our renunciatory testimony in the laver of baptism has reference to the shows, which, through their idolatry, have been given over to the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. We shall set forth, then, their several origins, in what nursing-places they have grown to manhood; next the titles of some of them, by what names they are called; then their apparatus, with what superstitions they are observed; (then their places, to what patrons they are dedicated;) then the arts which minister to them, to what authors they are traced. If any of these shall be found to have had no connection with an idol-god, it will be held as free at once from the taint of idolatry, and as not coming within the range of our baptismal abjuration.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume III/Apologetic/The Shows, or De Spectaculis/Chapter IX

Chapter IX.
Now as to the kind of performances peculiar to the circus exhibitions. In former days equestrianism was practised in a simple way on horseback, and certainly its ordinary use had nothing sinful in it; but when it was dragged into the games, it passed from the service of God into the employment of demons. Accordingly this kind of circus performances is regarded as sacred to Castor and Pollux, to whom, Stesichorus tells us, horses were given by Mercury. And Neptune, too, is an equestrian deity, by the Greeks called Hippius. In regard to the team, they have consecrated the chariot and four to the sun; the chariot and pair to the moon. But, as the poet has it, “Erichthonius first dared to yoke four horses to the chariot, and to ride upon its wheels with victorious swiftness.” Erichthonius, the son of Vulcan and Minerva, fruit of unworthy passion upon earth, is a demon-monster, nay, the devil himself, and no mere snake. But if Trochilus the Argive is maker of the first chariot, he dedicated that work of his to Juno. If Romulus first exhibited the four-horse chariot at Rome, he too, I think, has a place given him among idols, at least if he and Quirinus are the same. But as chariots had such inventors, the charioteers were naturally dressed, too, in the colours of idolatry; for at first these were only two, namely white and red,—the former sacred to the winter with its glistening snows, the latter sacred to the summer with its ruddy sun: but afterwards, in the progress of luxury as well as of superstition, red was dedicated by some to Mars, and white by others to the Zephyrs, while green was given to Mother Earth, or spring, and azure to the sky and sea, or autumn. But as idolatry of every kind is condemned by God, that form of it surely shares the condemnation which is offered to the elements of nature.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 184

184.—VON BÜLOW'S MEMORY.
A young composer called on von Bülow one day to get his opinion of a pianoforte concerto. Von Bülow declared he was too busy at that moment, but promised to look at it at his leisure. That same evening, at a party, von Bülow was asked to play, and to the amazement of the youthful aspirant for fame, who happened to be present, he sat down and played the entire concerto from memory. When he was director of the famous Meiningen orchestra, not content with conducting without a score, he endeavored, though without success, to induce the members of his band to learn their music by heart. The orchestra lacked both Bülow's prodigious memory and his matchless enthusiasm.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 187

187.—PUBLIC CRITICISM.
Critics who give vent to their ideas in public places should be sure of their neighbors before using a loud utterance.
Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream" overture was first given in Paris. There had been reserved for the composer a seat in one of the prominent boxes, and in the same box were some well-known musical amateurs who were, as it happened, ignorant that the composer of the music to which they were listening was in their company.
After the music had progressed for some time one of the gentlemen got up to take his leave, saying, "Yes, it is good, very good, but we shall not relish the rest;" and they left the box, ignorant of Mendelssohn's presence. Perhaps their idea in leaving was that they were satisfied and pleased and had had the worth of their money, and did not care to undergo an attack of musical ​indigestion by a continuation of the feast! Perhaps such was the case, but we doubt if Mendelssohn took that view of it.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 188

188.—FUN ON THE STAGE.
Actors and singers have their fun on the stage as well as off. On looking over stage annals we find how this one would take a few whiffs from his cigar when the stage business kept him behind a bit of scenery for a minute; how that one would have a pot of her favorite porter handed up through a trap if occasion offered; how this or that irrelevant remark, made under the breath, came near upsetting the whole course of mimic events. As a piece of stage fun calculated to disturb the gravity of those in the immediate vicinity, the following was a fair sample:—
In the opera of "The Corsair," during a duet which took place on the Corsair's vessel, the audience could see that the people on the stage were suffering in the attempt to restrain their mirth. The cause, invisible to the house, was that some joker, during the rocking motion of the ship, had stuck his head up through a trap and, offering a couple of basins, had solicitously inquired, "Any gentleman require the services of the steward?"
Some actors and singers identify themselves with the character essayed, and their emotions are stirred to their profoundest depths by the joys and sorrows, the good and evil, the love and hate that make up the sum of such characters. Others, on the contrary, consider it a vitiation of art to permit their feelings to dominate them in any degree. They must always be above and superior to the character and the emotion if they are to dominate that emotion and are to be free from the caprice of the moment.
So far do some singers carry the latter idea that their simulation of a part becomes, as we might say, ​automatic; and while their auditors think them torn and swayed by some passionate emotion, they may be enjoying some bit of by-play on the stage, entirely opposite to the assumed emotion.
For instance, it is related that Mme. Devrient, when, as "Leonora," she offered Haizinger, the "Florestan" of the evening, the crust of bread that the libretto prescribes for the latter, and he was somewhat slow in taking it, impatiently whispered to him:—
"Why in the deuce don't you take it? Do you want it buttered?"
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 182

182.—PROVING IDENTITY.
Here is a story that has been told of more than one prima donna, but at present is related of Sigrid Arnoldson. If it is true, this lady has proved the statement that a great intellectual gift proves an easy passport to anything.
When she was in Rome, she went one day to the poste restante to call for a registered letter. She was asked for her passport to establish her identity, but she had left it at her hotel. Her reiterated assurance that she was indeed Sigrid Arnoldson failed to satisfy the ​officials, until at last the happy thought occurred to her to sing to them. "Assai, assai!" they exclaimed when the song was finished; "here is your letter, for no one but Sigrid Arnoldson can sing like that."
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 19

19.—A CRITICAL COMPOSITION.
Musical progress depended largely at one time on the effect produced by one composition. It came about in this way: In the middle of the sixteenth century the music used in the Mass of the Catholic church had become so light and trivial that Pope Marcellus concluded he would discontinue the use of music in the service. But the great composer of that day, Palestrina (who, by the way, was generally known by the name of his native place), believing that could the Pope and cardinals hear a mass written in what he believed to be the true ecclesiastical style they would reverse their decision, begged them not to put the order into execution until they had given his music a hearing. The request was granted, and on Easter, 1555, this mass, called "Missa Papæ Marcelli," i. e., Mass of Pope Marcellus, was performed before the highest dignitaries of the church.
It was an entire change from the trivial church music of the time; so refined, elevating and appropriate was it to the sacred office for which it was intended, that the Pope and cardinals were delighted, and had no further thought of banishing music from the service. Another ​result was that Palestrina was appointed chapelmaster to the Pope, and exercised a most beneficial influence in church and other styles of composition for many years. He is now regarded as a landmark in musical history, and when we remember that the Catholic church was in those times the main conservator of musical art, we realize that even at this day we owe him a debt of gratitude.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 189

189.—THE THIRTY-THREE VARIATIONS.
Beethoven was an enemy to all quackery and shallow pretensions, and disliked the meaningless style of composition that was so prevalent in his day.
Diabelli, the music publisher, importuned him to write a series of variations, which was a very popular style at that time; but Beethoven declined to write that kind of thing, till, one day, he threw a manuscript in at the publisher's door, with the exclamation:—
"Here are three and thirty for one; but now, for God's sake, leave me in peace!"
Diabelli had asked Beethoven to be one of the fifty composers to contribute to the book of fifty variations; but instead of joining the fifty and writing one, he himself wrote thirty-three variations on the Diabelli theme. This series of variations is one of the best known of his smaller works.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 186

186.—A KIND ACT.
Paganini was not, as a general thing, noted for deeds of charity. In fact, he became quite a miser in his later days. For this reason the following incident is all the more peculiar.
He happened, in the course of a walk on the streets of Vienna, to come across a miserable little fellow sawing away on an old fiddle. On inquiry the great violinist learned that the boy was trying to maintain an invalid mother and several little brothers and sisters by his street playing. Paganini, touched by the boy's destitute circumstances, took the old fiddle and began to play in his marvelous manner; and after a crowd had collected he himself passed around the hat and collected a goodly sum from the bystanders, adding to it all the money he had in his own pockets.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 190

190.—A DESERVED CHASTISEMENT.
Franz Liszt used to take great pleasure in relating various happenings of his youthful days, and none gave him more merriment than the recital of a trick he tried to play on Czerny, with whom be began to study when but nine years of age. Czerny was very kind and Liszt ​always spoke reverently of him, but he could not forget this prank of his childhood. Probably the consequences of it fixed it definitely in his memory.
It seems that Czerny had kept the youthful Liszt at work considerably longer on a certain Clementi sonata than the latter found agreeable; and so the boy, knowing that complaints to his father would be useless, as good Adam Liszt had great respect for Czerny's teaching abilities, resolved to try a little strategy. So he took the offending sonata and in a certain place marked an unreasonable fingering over some of the notes. Then taking it to his father he innocently said:—
"I think it's about time for me to stop my lessons with Czerny; just see this ridiculous fingering he has marked for me!"
Liszt, senior, was surprised at such work on Czerny's part, but thought he had best see the teacher before taking any action in the matter, and perhaps having had some experience with the youthful Franz before. So he took the book to Czerny and asked for an explanation. Czerny gave him one; and though the two old fellows may have had a hearty laugh at the youngster's ready invention, that did not deter Liszt, pere, from administering a lively thrashing to a certain young man when he reached home.