The Nevada journal., 1859-04-15
Mozart at Court.

the career OF the great composer, Wolf
ging Mozart, which occurred when he
was child, we find in the n. Y. Musi-
cal Reoiev, translated from the German
of Rad. 1t will repay perusal
The apartments of the Queen at Yer
sailles. were open. They formed Sc
ries of fifteen large saloons, which were
lighted by more than seven hundred
candles. shining from candelabras, and
chandeliers, wrought in the most artistic
style, and shedding their light upon
the finest works of sculpture and paint
ing, upon vases, clocks, tapestries of the
most elegant and costly character. Nor
over, all these luxuries were multiplied
by immense and most beautiful mirrors
in gilt frames, which covered the walls.
And yet these private rooms of the
Queen might have been called simple,
compared with those occupied by the
Marchioness of Pompadour, just as the
appearance of the Queen herself, sur
rounded by the princesscs in the above
apartments compared with that of the
Marchioness, covered with diamonds,
and surrounded by the ministers and
high dignitaries of the country. who
looked and ac:ed like the real Queen
while the latter, Maria of France, the
unhappy daughter of Stanislaus Leszin-
sky, seemed to be cast down, but resign
ed.
The King had not yet made his ap-
pearance; and the Marchioness, as well
as her aristocratic minions, indulged in
that frivolous but intellectual conversa-
ton which was the fashion of that time
But even when the worn out King came
into the apartment, and talked accord
ing to the court ceremonial for a quar-
ter of an hour to the Queen, the spiteful
Marchioncss continued the conversation
to the terror of all present, but showing
by this the immense influence she ex-
ercised over the broken spirit of Louis
XIV.
At last the conversation became gem
eral, ard the King sat down at the card
table, giving at the same time orders to
let the Mozarts, who were waiting in the
chamber, make their appearance.
The children commenced playing Il
NclN ulllIClll anu VI lllltiilG uuO, dlltl dl-
though they did this as usual, in a very
superior manner, nobody listene1 to
them but the Queen, the Princess NJ me
Nictoire, and Countess Tesse. Such
reception they had certainly not expect
ed. Nannei felt the tears start in him
eyes, and Wolfgang was so indignant
that none but NJ me Victoire had found
word of encouragement for them, that
he said to his father:
Come, Papa, let us go they do not
understand music"
The vice conductor tried in vain to
calm the Indignation of the little virtuoso
who found himself hurt in that which
was dearest to him, his pride as an artist.
"Well," said at last the father, "let
us go; but do you know what the world
will say The Mozarts did not succeed
at the court of Versailles If was in
your place, would play once more,
and force, by the beauty of my perform
ance, the King, as well as the whole
court to listen to me-
"You are right ~ exclaimed the boy
with frightened eyes, and at once went
up to the King, saying:
"Will your Majesty give me theme,
upon which l can improvise T.
Louis, surprised, looked up, at the
sound of the child's voice. He had
really forgotten what was going on
around him.
"Ah !" he satd, ''the children what
does the boy want l''
Madame Adelaide translated the wish
of Wolfgang.
with pleasure" answered the King,
giving him theme from an opera of
Lully, at the time very popular.
Wolfgang bowed in highly becom-
ing manner, and went back to the piano.
The King could not help looking after
the little fellow, and although he re-
sumed his card playing, yet he listened
to the boys performance But sudden
ly he threw the cards upon the table,
and rose with the greatest surprise in
his countenance.
The court followed, and soon was
Wolfgang Mozart surrounded by the
heads and chief dignitaries of one of the
most powerful empires of Europe.
The little vlrtuoso felt his heart blood
stirred by the approach of all these peo-
pie, and he reused himself to do his ut
most-his very best.
The King drew several times his
hands over his face and forehead, in
order to satisfy himself that he was not
dreaming. The Queens eyes became
wet, and Madame Victoire, herself a
virtuoso on the piano, could scarcely
rcpress her astonishment and admiration.
All these people, Pompadour, a Sou
bise included, felt moved as they had
never been before. Something unusal
occurred to them ;the invisible power Of
the great and beautiful took hold Ofthem
and elevated them high above the dust
of triviality. They felt themselves, at
least for few minutes, different and
Wolfgang had finished. A loud bravo