The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-06-20
Vienna and Her Great Musicians.

None need to be informed that Vienna
is the metropolis of music The visitor
there finds himself floating about, as it
were, in an ethereal, musical sea. Even
the brass bands perform good music
The only difficulty on this musical score
is, indeed, that the varieties of harmony
in Vienna are likely to form in the less
sophisticated ear a medley something
like the ancient "Quodibet (Which
still may be heard occasionally in
which the persons of a company sing
each a different ballad simultaneously
to one theme, a solemn hymn jostling n
bacchanaIian ditty. The opera is the
most perfect in the world, the sympho-
MES perfect, and the sacred music also :;
and none of them can surpass the
majesty with which the military band
sends abroad through the air "GOtt
erhalte Kaiser Franz" Generations of
culture have gone to build up the musi-
cal taste and the fine ear which of old
made this city the Mecca of musicians.
Mozart found it uphill work at Vienna.
The people looked upon his thin, pale
face, and light, boyish hair, with in
credulity. They could hardly imagine
that the little man was more than an am
bilious youth. It was Just eighty-fve
years ago that he was trying to accom-
pIish something there, but had more
reputation for his game of billiards
than for music. At the time the two
great Iibrettists of Vienna we're Metas-
tasio and the Able de POnte, a man who
passed twenty weary years as an italian
teacher in New York, where he died in
destitutiOnl This Abbe de Ponte wrote
the drama of "Don Juan," after con-
sultation with Mozart, who believed
that the traditions of the wild nobleman
formed a good theme for an opera. The
composer did his part in less time than
any opera was ever written in. He
wrote day and night, his wife keeping
his wits awake by bringing in punch,
his favOrite drink, and so got it ready
for a grand occasion in Prague. Prague
was delighted. After being thrice per
formed, it was waited to Vienna on Bo-
hemian raptures. At Vienna it fell
dead. The emperor Joseph sent for
Mozart and said, Mozart, your music
wouId do very well, but there are too
many notes in it. There are just as
many as there ought TO be, replied
Mozart. deeply offended. This fine
piece of imperial criticism may have got
wind, for everybody was in the habit of
saying there was certainly merit In the
piece, " but, " etc. Being ID a company
one day where the new opera was the
subject of dispute, Haydn, III reply to
a demand for bis opinion, said, 8" All I
know is that Mozart is certainly the
greatest composer now IN existence.
Haydn suffered from the cavils Of the
critics, but his genius met with TecOgni-
tion from Mozart. A composer Of some
merit, but of jealous disposition, was
expatiating on the defects of Haydn,
when Mozart broke out with the ab-
rupt reply, Sir, if you and I were
melted down together, we could not
make one Haydn Z" Mozart gracefully
dedicated his quatuors to Haydn.
Frederick the Great offered Mozart a
situation at Berlin, with a salary of five
thousand forms, IN place of the miser-
able sum of eight hundred (ESO) which
he was getting at Vienna. While he
was hesitating, Joseph II called on him
and said, " Mozart, you are going to
leave me" No, never will 1 leave
your majesty" said the tender-hearted
composer, with emotion. Beethoven
had a better experience, for Vienna re-
| cognized his genius from the start.
When he brought out his fifth .sympho-