The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-25
CONVERSATIONS WITH ROssINI.
N ON Once a. Week.


what noble beginningr cried Rossih,
pnmming the first bars OF one Of Haydu's
uartettes. "What spirit what grace
fhey are charming works, these quartettes.
How lovingly the instruments converse with
cne anotheri And what subtle modulations
All great composers have beautiful modula-
nons; but Haydns always have q special
and peculiar charm for me-"
"Surely you had never heard them in
Italy %
"Yes, at Bologna, when was a boy.
(which played tenor. The first
fiddle had very few things of Haydn's;
but was always boring him to get more, so
j by degrees got to know good number Of
them. studied Haydn with great ardor at
that time. You should have been in Bologna
when conducted the Creation at the Liceo.
&Wouldn't let the performers pass over single
thing, for l knew every note by heart.
also got up the Seasons, when / gave up the
Liceo to be director OF the Philharmonic Con-
Certs."
'There's more invention, perhaps, in the
Seasons than the Creation; but then they offer
more scope for variety"
'Mayl e." answered Rossini: o'but there is a
certain lofty tone running through the Crea-
. tion which makes me prefer it. How fine this
air is -, and the chorus in B fiat, and
Raphael's air." humming the beginning of
each; "and what wonderful bit of instTu-
mentation the chaos is Nothing clings to
4 one like the impressions of youth. / knew an
/ Italian in Vienna called Calpani, who had been
4 there for years, and was very intimate with
Haydn. He was never tired of talking about
the kind-heartedness and modesty of the old
MASTER"
81 never caught sight of one of his operas.
But is there much in themP'
"No! | looked them through in Vienna,
/ with pnthusiaStio admirar of Havdn,a who
boasted that he possessed all his compositions,
They are unimportant works, with scarcely
| trace of the great composer. He must have
written them at an early period, for Prince
Esterhazy and his singers. But do you know
his cantata Ariadne2"
81 played it through long time ago, but
never heard it, and don't remember any Of it,"
answered, somewhat ashamed.
"EXcept the OTatorios, l like it best OF
4 Haydn's vocal compositions. The adagio is
very beautiful" said Rossini, and began to
sing part of it.
"YOu, declare, know more about our Ger
man composers than l do myself and | am
beginning to be jealous. Do you know as
much about the old Italians 2"
81 have read through great many Of
them.'
''Many of Paisiello's operasH''
"When l was boy they had already nearly
vanished from the stage. Generali, Fioravanti,
order of the day."
"Do you like Paisiello ?''
"Pleasant music, but not remarkable either
for harmony or melody. 1t never interested
me much. His principle was to compose a
whole piece on one short subject consequently
there was but little life in it, and scarcely any
/ dramatic effect"
"You knew him personality"
81 saw him in Naples, after his return from
Paris, where he made great deal of money.
Napoleon was very fond OF his music, and
Paisiello used to boast about it in the most
maize way, telling everybody that the great
emperor liked his music so much because 1t
did not prevent him from thinking of other
things. strange compliment But every
time has its taste, and his soft music used to
be immensely admired"
"Was he an interesting man ?"
''He was fne-looking fellow, almost i'm
posing, but utterly uneducated, and insignif-
cant beyond anything. You should have seen
his letters / don't mean the handwriting
nor the spelling; l pass over that; but the
clumsy manner of expressing himself, and the
platitude of his thoughts, are beyond concep-
tion Cimarosa was very different: a refined
and intellectual mind. Do you know anything
of his ?''
"The Matrimonio, of course; and have
looked through the Ord@ii."
''There is not much in the later ones; but
there is an opera buffa of his, Lie frame DeLuSe,
which is capital"
'sBetter than the Matrimonio7"
''Incomparably greater The finale to the
second act (almost too good for a last fnale)
is quite a masterpiece. Unfortunately, the
libretto is wretched. Then l remember an
air in his oratorio OF ISaaco, one passage o.
which, as to harmony, is very striking and
dramatic. A pure inspiration, too for, in 8
general way, you know, he was not great il
harmony"
'It is difficult for us in Germany to get hold
Of the works of these composers. One would
have to spend year in Italy for the express
purpose There must be wonderful trea
sures in the library d the Conservatorium a
IAN immense quantity. All Cimarosa'i
manuscripts must be there. They once be-
! lepged to Cardinal Gonsslvi, who had quite
passion for Cimarosa. One could not give hin
greater treat than to sing him something o
his favorites. l often did this while in Rome
and he was always most thankful
Sand your own manuscripts, MAESTRO; is i
true that you have hardly anyH'
"Not a note"
''But where on earth are they 2"
| ''Heaven knows l had the right to deman
them from the oOpyist after year, but l nsve
did so. Some may be in Naples, some are i
Paris; the rest l know nothing about"
Haven't you kept even your studies wit
Mattel p
81 kept them many years, but once whel
returned to Bologna, they we're no longer +
be found-thrown away, or stolen, or perhap
sold for waste paper"
"Perhaps you have not got printed score
Il or arrangements of your operas l' said i, wit