Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-04-18
sIL 1s, 1867. New series--vol. Z, No. 10.

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grand orchestra, and when IL was COM
pleted applied by letter to Mendelssohn,
with the request that might be allowed
to bring 1t forward in the Gewandhaus.
! spoke OF no pecupiary compensation,
but only expressed the wish that might
myself direct the rehearsals and perfor-
nance Of my composition.
soon afterwards received a friendly
letter from Mendelssohn, in which he
informed me that my composition had
been received with favor, its performance
decided upon, and that 1t would also be
very agreeable TO the direction IL myself
would bring ii before the public. / men
ton this letter particularly, ,on account OF
paragraph which characterizes his ma
ture, 50 noble, amiable, even tender, and
ever ready TO render assistance to the ut
most Of his power especially to those of
his own profession. He writes: at seems
to me desirable, also, that a remuneration
enough at least to cover some portion OF
your travelling expenses-should be Of
fered to you, although you say nothing
of this. Our means are, it must be
confessed, very limited; nevertheless,
thought this might not be unwelcome to
you, and also understand that the direct
ors are Of the same opinion" This was in
November, 1893.
Soon afterward / came to Leipsic with
my piece. Mendelssohn received me in
the most friendly manner, and during
the rehearsals assisted me with his advice
most zealously, in order to render the
final execution of the piece as perfect as
possible. When on the eventful evening
he came to me in the orchestra, and per-
ceived the state of nervous excitement in
which L was, he said,-
HYOu saprn IN he apyioIa ~
Indeed l am, most keenly anxious" I"
/ rejoined.
"Ah, bah!" said he, "there is no need
of anything of that sort. Your work is
good; that you know, as a matter of
course. AS to how the public may re-
ceive it to-day, what viii that amount
to? Do We ask better fortune than has
so often befallen the greatest masters of
all times with their very best works."
My composition received, as the Leipsic
criticisms said, a success destiDae. / was
most thoroughly disheartened, and from
that time forward renounced the pleas
ures of composition.
Subsequently l passed many happy
hour with Mendelssohn. He came fire.
quently to Weimar, and on these occa-
! sions he played his most recent compost
| tions for us and some of his most particu-
| lar friends, either at my own house, or
! that of the then music-master Montag
But he always forbade any large assem-
| blies at such times.
"Let us have some music this even
! ing, T" he used to say, "but quite by our
! selves. If need be, we must be able to
4 pull off our coats and play in our shirt
] sleeves. One evening | did not come
ten o'clock. With beaming face my
wife met me with the question:
"Who do you think has been here?--
Mendelssohn! He was passing through
the city," (if am not mistaken this was
i his bridal tour to Frankfort "and was
sadly disappointed not to find you. 'Tl
tell YOU what, my dear Frau Lobe, sale
he, Il will spend the two hours which
have to wait here, before the post goe
out, with you, and, if agreeable, will
play something for you, so he seatet
himself at the piano, and for two whole
hours, almost without interruption, play
ed the most beautiful pieces for me alone
and extemp orized divinely!"
One may imagine that my wife ma
not forgotten nor ceased to be proud O
that evening. AT another time we haC
some music at Montag's house. Men.
delssohn played his ID minor trio. Then
we undertook quintette of my own
composition, and in this he played the
second violin very correctly and skiifully.
Where opportunity offered, however, he
sought in other ways, also, to do me some
kindness or service. Thus, for example,
he spoke most favorably of the above.
mentioned guintette to my noble patron
ess and benefactor in many ways, the
Grand Duchess Maria Pawlowna, where
upon that gracious lady remitted to me
very handsome present, in conse
quence, " as she wrote, " of an honorable
recognition of your professional eXer
tions by DIR. Mendelssohn-B -Bartholdy.
TwENTY-sIX YEARS LATER.
IT may perhaps be little known thai
this vigorous, healthy man, active to al
extreme degree, always cheerful, sc
happy in all his relations, and recogniz
ing SO clearly his good fortune, was al
times impressed with the presentment o.
an early death. When he was bringing
forward his "Paulus" in the Cathedral
at Weimar, we were sitting together one
day after rehearsal in his room at the
Erbprinz, " and lat that time an ar
rant hondriac-remarked that
would enjoy but little of his later compo
sitions. He rejoined,-
30, my dear friend, you will outlivt
me many day!" laughed at this as
sertion of his, but he interrupted me
most seriously and decidedly with thu
words, II shall not live to be an ole
mani" And then, as if he .repented o
this declaration, his features assumed
their most cheerful expression, and HI
changed the conversation to discussion
of the rehearsal just ended, in which IN
especially dwelt upon and extolled tn
cordial and ready cooperation of all thos'
associated with him in this performance
/ How could dream at that moment
when my companion was but in hi
thirtieth year, and the fulness of health
that few years later his prophecy woul'
be fulfilled! In 1915 removed to Leip
sic, and found him in glowing health
and spirits, increasingly active in every
direction, enjoyed many an entertaining
and instructive conversation with him
and one year after, in l847, when only IL
his thirty-eighth year, twenty-six yean
after my first meeting with the hand
some, spirited lad at GOethe's house, th'
great musician was borne from his resi-
denee in the Konigs-strasse, to the Pau
line Church. Among the mOurners wh'
followed his bier was the writer of thes'
lines. iH. h.tF
ARTEMUs WARD
The London Review prints a handsome
tr;t,,,to ~ Mr. Charles r, Rrnwue rte