The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-16 00:00:00

Death of Ernst.

Ernst, the most famous and, in some respects, the
most gifted fiddler of his day, died on Sunday last
at Nice, in the pleasant climate of which healthful
place he had often sought to lessen the intensity of
his constant suffering. The life of an executive
musician, however brilliant his career, is rarely
eventful, and in the biography of the great genius
who has just ceased to exist there is but little inci-
dent to vary the continuous record of a long series
of achieved triumphs. The following scanty par-
ticulars we have gleaned from M. Fetis, whose cri-
ticisms, however, we are forced to omit, so preju-
diced and one-sided is the industrious Belgian com-
piler. Ernst was bornt at Brunn, in Moravia, in
1814, so that at his death he had not long over-
stepped his fiftieth year. A pupil of the Viennese
Conservatoire, he received his lessons from Boehm ;
the Kapellmeister Seyfried taught him harmony.;

and he then had instruction from Mayseder. When
only sixteen years of age he undertook his first jour-
ney to Munich, Stuttgart, and Frankfort, where the
precocity of his talent awakened general interest.
He went to Paris in 1832, and made a long stay in
that city, where he studied the style of the French
violinists, especially of the celebrated De Beriot, who
at that time was the hero of the concert-room. In
1838 he went through Holland, where he obtained
singular success. Returned to Paris at the begin-
ning of 1839, he gave several concerts, and then he
visited Southern Germany, staying at Vienna in
1840. In 1844 he came to London, and here he
afterwards passed many seasons. His talent was
fully appreciated. Among his compositions for his
instrument may be mentioned :—Two Nocturnes for
violin and orchestra, the second number of which,
an andante cantabile, has had great success ; an
Elegie for violin and piano, a charming piece, which
has been played everywhere, and to which Spohr
wrote an introduction ; Fantasia on the march and
romance in " Otello ;" Concertino with orchestra ;
Rondo on "Die Zauberflote." To this last several
other pieces might be added, but an imitation of
Paganini's " Carnaval de Venise" should be men-
tioned, because it is identified with Ernst's playing.
The malady to which he appears at length to have
succumbed prevented some years ago his fingers
from exercising their former cunning, and of late he
has entirely disappeared from public life. But
though his hands were powerless to interpret the
musical thoughts of others, his active brain was yet
capable of creating musical ideas of his own. He
could still write for the beloved instrument which
would no longer obey his behests. So he composed
quartets, and these he delivered over to his ablest

successor. We need not remind musical readers
that one of the Monday Popular Concerts was de-
voted to a benefit for Herr Ernst, and that there
Herr Joachim introduced the composition of his
afflicted brother in art. It is well known that Herr
Ernst has, during recent years, been the constant
visitor of. one of our most distinguished men of
letters, who, in spite of his own want of sympathy
with music, found a strange charm in the companion-
ship of the gifted musician. Ernst's case was long
since deemed hopeless, but it seemed that " Death
was not jealous of his mild decay that gently wooed
him his." At length appeared the " Shadow cloaked
froth head to foot, who keeps the keys of all the
creeds," and the ardent spirit is for ever stilled. We
have yet among us greater artists than Ernst, but
it is doubtful if we shall ever again hear the strings
of a violin breathe such poetry as was evolved under
the pressure of his magic bow ; such strains might,
indeed, " create a soul beneath the ribs of death."

CONSERVATIVE DEMONSTRATION IN ESSEX.—The
annual meeting of the Ilinckford Conservative and Agri-
cultural Club was held on Friday evening at Castle Hed-
ingham, under the presidency of Col. Brise. The meeting
was to some extent marred by the absence of Major Beres-
ford, that gentleman having been defeated at the late
election fer North Essex by Sir T. Western, the Liberal
sitting member. Mr. C. Du Cane, M.P., however, was
present, as was Mr. R. A. Earle, the newly-elected M.P
for Maldon, and sometime private secretary to Mr. Dis-
raeli. The principal speakers were Sir B. P. Henniker,
Mr. Du cane, and Air. Earle.