Weekly Trinity journal., 1866-12-01
NUMBER AZ.

barpsichord is wretched and we have no music.
sisNo music ? echoed my friend. How,
then, does the fraulein-' He paused and col
ored up for the girl looked round full at him and
i, those clouded eyes he saw that she was blind
I'LL leutreat your PARDON he stammsred
but I had not perceived before. Then you
play by ear 2
. Entirely
AZ And where do You hear the music, since
you frequent no concerts
FUSED to hear a lady practice near US when we
lived at Bruhl two years ago. During the sum-
mer evenings her window was generally open,
and used to walk to and fro outside and listen
to her
And have you never heard any music"
:" housekeeping street music
"sShe seemed shy so Beethoven said no more,
but seated himself quietly before the piano, ana
began to play He had no sooner struck the
first chord than l knew what would follow
how grand he would be that night And was
not mistaken. Never during all the years knew
him did | hear him play as lie then played to
that blind girl and her brother ! Never heard
such fire. grandness of melody and modulation
He was inspired and from that instant his fin
gers began to wander along the keys, the very
tones of the instrument seemed to grow sweeter
and more equal Breathless and entranced we
sat listening The brother and sister were ST.
lent with wonder and rapture. The former lald
aside his work the latter with her head bent
slightly forward, and her hands pressed tightly
over her breast crouched down near the end OF
the harpsichord if fearful lest even The
beating of her heart should break the flow OF
those magical sweet sounds. 1t was rs ii we
were all bound in a strange dream, and only
feared to wake. Suddenly the flame OF the sih-
gle canfls wavered, sunk. hiekered, aud west
out. Beethoven paused, and | threw open toe
shutters, admitting food of brilliant moon
light The room was almost as light as before
] ~ foil afr
and the player.
q But the chain OF his ideas seemed to ha~e
| been broken by the accident. His head dropped
on his breast-his hands rested upon his knees -
/ he seemed absorbed in meditation. At length
the young shoemaker rose, and approached him
It Wonderful man T he said, in low tone
who and what you ?
sBeethoven lifted up his head and looked at
him vacantly, ifJunconscious OF the meaning OF
his words. He repeated the question. The
composer smiled, as he only couIdsmile, beneyo-
lently, indulgently, kindly.
- ListenF he said, and he played the open
bars of the symphony in T. cry of delight and
recognition burst from the lips OF both, and
exclaining,
Then you are Beethoven = they covered
his hands with kisses. He rose to go, but we
held him back with tears and entreaties
{" Play to us once more only once more J!
q He suffered himself to be led back to the in
strument The moon shown brightly in through
the curtainless window, and lit up his glorious
rugged head and massive figure.
! - will improvise sonata to the moonlight,
said he half playfully.
o He looked thoughtfnly for few moments to
the sky and the stars-then his hand dropped
upon the keys, and he began playing a low,
sad and infinitely lovely movement, which
crept gently over the instrument with n swee:
and level beauty, like the calm flow OF moon
/ light over the earth. This delicious opening
was followed by wild clfn capricious passage
in triple time n sort of grotesqne interlude>
like dance of spirits upon the midnight sward
Then came swift aJitato fnale-a-breathiess
hurryin,g, trembling movement, descriptive OF
flight and uncertainty, and vague, impu!siFe
terror, which carried us away upon its rushing
wings, and left us at last all emotion and wonder.
1. Farewell to you said Beethoven abruptly,
pushing back his chair, and turning towards the
door farewell to you
90 You will come again? asked they in one
breath.
g He paused, looked compassonAtely, almost
tendery, at the blind girl.
g Yes, yes he said, hurreily, Il VIII come
again, and give the fraullen some lessons.--
Farewell | will come soon again
They followed us in silence more eloquent
than words and stood at their door till we were
out of sight and hearing.
g Let uslmake haste back, said Beethoven,
urging me on at rapid pace. Let rs make
haste that may write that sonata, while | can
yet remember it We did so, and he sat over ID
long past day dawn. And this WAS the origin
of that Moonlight Sonata, with which you are
! so fOndly acquainted.