The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-16
MEYERBEER's COMPOSITIONS.


De Bury's Lawsuit Decided in Favor of
the Composers Heirs-Ex tract From
Meyerbeer's Will.
The suit brought by NJ. Blaze de Bury, dra-
ma'ic author, against the widow and heirs of
Meyerbeer, the musical composer alluded to a
few days since in our Paris correspondence, has
Just been decided before the civil tribunal of
Paris. The plaintiff had some years back
written a drama, entitled THE Youth of
Goethe" one act of which was to be played
with musical accompaniment, which Meyer
beer Undertook to compose. The latter had
completed his share OF the work, but proposed
to modify some Of the combinations, when he
died, leaving will OF which the following is an
extTact:-
For long time past have been in the habit
OF making notes, on special music book, of
pleases me, either when l am sitting at the
piano or at any other time. entirely forbid the
placing OF these fragments in the hands of
living composer for him to make new work
out of them, or to complete my unfinished CON-
positions, and afterwards give them as my post
humous works; for such fate has too often
Their future glory. My family does not require
any such resources. 1t would be equally painful
10 me if, by neglect, these music books fell into
some treacherous hands, and my thoughts were
used by other musicians under their own
names. My express and positive desire is
that, few days after this will is opened,
the above-name1 books Give of them mi
nutely described) be removed from my other
papers by my wife and executors, and sealed,
and carefully preserved in a special box. If,
some DAY, one of my grandchildren evinces real
taste for music the books containing my musical
thoughts are to be delivered up to him, as we'll
as the diary kept by myself since the end of 1876.
No one, without exception, must be allowed to
look over the aforesaid books, or my unpublished
compositions, or my diary. Ii none of my
grandchildren are endowed with taste for
musc-of which my executors are to be sole
judges-these books, omposltions, and diary
must be destroyed. This, be it understood, is
only to be done when my three daughters are no
more, and when my grandsons have attained an
age enabling my executors to Judge with GER
tainty of their aptitudes. | in6ict no penalty in
the case of non-accomplishment of the desire
expressed above concerning my manuscripts,
etc, but I appeal to the love and piety of my
cherished wife, OF my children and executors,
and eagerly entreat of them to entirely fulfil
these my last wishes. MEYERBEEB.
The only exception made was for the opera of
the Atriodine for which he has made special
arrange ments. The score of Ihe Youth OF Goethe
was in accordance with the wish thus expressed
lock ed up with the rest of the composers works
NJ. Blaze de Bury put forward claim to joint
ownership in the work, and brought the present
action to have 1T excepted from the others, and
performed. The Court, however, decided that
the music and the labrettO of an opera were quite
independent of each other, and that the writer
OF the one had no right to compel the produc-
lion OF the other. A verdict was in consequence
given against the plaintiff, who was in addition
condemned to the payment of the COSTS