Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-22
THE BO,K

Mozart's first experience of a large
organ was in the monastery Of a little
town on the banks of the Danube. He
was then only six-years old, and in
company with his father, had left his
home in SalZburg, and started upon q
long course of travel. AL day long they
had been sailing down that majestic
| river, past crunlbling ruins, frowning
castles, eloisters hidden away among
the crags, towering cliffs, quiet villages
nestled in sunny valleys, and here and
there a deep gorge that opened back
from the gliding river, its hollow dis
lance blue with fathomIess shadow, and
its loneliness and stiffness stirring the
boys heart like some dim and vast ca
thedTal.
The company of monks with whom
they had been travelling that day were
at supper in the ~refect0ry Of the cloister,
when. Father Mozart took Wolfgang into
the chapel to see the organ.
And now as the boy gazed with some
thing Of awe upon the great instrument,
looming up in the shadows of the great
empty church, his face Itup with serene
satisfaction, and every motion and atti-
tude Of the little figure expressed q
wondering reverence. What tones must
even now be slumbering in those mighty
pipes? Tones, which if once awakened
could give utteIanee to all that voiceless
beauty which the days scenes had
showed him-lfe and death; present
and past; the peaceful river and the de-
serted ruin; the sunshine unfailing and
the unfailing shadow at its side.
"Father," said the boy, "eXplain to
me those pedals at the organs feet, and
let me playa"
Well pleased, the father complied.
The Wolfgang pushed aside the stool,
and when father Mozart had filed the
great bellows, the elin Organist stood
upon the pedals, and trod them as
though he had never needed to have
their management explained.
How the deep tones woke the sombre
stiffness of the old church! The organ
seemed some great uncOuth creature,
roaring for very joy at the caresses Of the
marvellous child.
The monks, eating their supper in the
refectory, heard the tones and dropped
knife and fork in establishment. The
OTganist of the brotherhood was among
them; but never had he played with
such power and. freedom. They listened;
some grew pale; others crossed them
till the prior rose up, summoned
all his courage, and FASTENED into the
The Others followed, but when
they looked up into the organ-loft, 10!
there was no form of any 0rganist to be
seen, though the deep tones still massed
themselves III new haTmOnies, and
made the stone arches thrill with their
power. cit is the devil himself" cried
the last one of the monks, drawing
closer to n of his companions, and
a scared look over his shoulder
to the darkness of the aisle.
cit is a mirscleu' said another But !
when the Oldest of their number mount
ed the stairs to the organ front, he stood
Is if petrified with amazement.
There stood the tiny figure, treading
pedal to pedal, and at the same
lime elutching the keys above with his
title hands, gathering handfuls of those
wonderful chords as if they were violets,
md fiinging them out into the solemn
gloom behind him. He heard nothing,
Jaw nothing, besides; his eyes beamed
ike stars, and his whole face lighted
With impassiored joy. Louder and full
er rose the ha-mOnies, streaming forth
n swelling pillows, till at last they
eemed to reach a sunnyshOre, on which
hey broke; and then a whispering rip
lie of faintest melody fingered a mo-
nent inthe air, like the last murmUr of
wind harD. and ali was still.