Ellsworth American., 1873-09-04

oh the ln"t'iuuaiity Of each of the
nine composers have named but rs
1t will not be necessary to relate any
oil the extremely happy circumstances
under which Mendelssohn lived and
worked, so it will not be out of order
70 refer to the painful struggles and
difiiculties OF at least five of his COM
peers, the beauty of whose works NAV
almost be said TO be enhanced by the
troubles under which they were pro.
auced. John Sebastion Bach, by far
the most scientific musician the world
mas yet seen, commenced his career
under the most painful circumstances.
Ills elder brother endeavored by every
means to quench his genius for music,
and, by denying him light ut the only
period of the day which he could de-
vote to self-instruction, laid the foun-
dation OF an eye disease which ended
In total blindness. In addition to this
ms worldly means were Of the small
est, and the burden of very large
family must have greatly added TO his
pecuniary anxieties.
In spite of the obstacles he lived
the most industrious of lives. and not
only produced the most incredible
number OF works, all of which, be they
large or small, are immortal. but he
educated five Of his sons to be most
excellent musicians, and thus proved
his name to be a veritable bach" or
stream OF the profoundest depth and
clearness.
Handefs early life was full OF tron.
Dles. lie wandered from one Italian
town TO another, producing operas,
and certainly making a name. but il
was not until after he was fifty wears
OF age that he struck out that path O.
oratorio writing which has made him
Immortal and though at his death he
ieit large fortune, yet even in Eng
iand his large losses caused MIN more
than one bankruptcy. Haydn, to gain
instruction, was compelled TO perform
menlal service for his master. Porpora.
who compelled him to black his boots
anu brush his clothing In return for a
very small modicum OF teaching; and
even when he was in the service of
IFihce tsterhazy, his position for
many years was but little better than
that OF laequey The whole course
OF Aozart's life was beset with troub-
les. lhe Archbishop of Salzburp. in
10 whose service lie entered at the are
OF 10 seems TO have delighted in
plaguelng the composers life w
every species of tyranny, and when.
at last he broke through the tolls and.
as II were, escaped TO Vienna, his
greatness raised him host of enemies.
and his good nature, his Kindness in
assisting others, and his genial tenn
permanent and love Of society BROUGHT
INN INTO 50 much pccuniAry difficulty
that his funeral expenses had to be de.
irayed at the cost OF the parish in
which he lived
-" saddest case Of all was that Of
beethoven Aithous Ia his IaIucr seems I
10 have been a very morose, hard
hearted man, yet, being a musicia D, he
soon discerned the dawning genius of
his son, and gave him every facility
tor learning the first principles of his
art AT an early age he went to Vi
emma and studied under Havdn. and t
was pronounced by Mozart on hearing
hm extemporize The world will
hear of that young man." Each suc-
ceeding year proved the truth of this L.
prophecy but toward the beginnin.
of 1900 the dreadful malady of deaf
ness commenced and increased daily,
and for the last twenty wears of his
life, till 1887, when he died, Beethoven
never heard note of his music, and
excepting by the means Of sight, quite
unable u conceive the effect his sub
lime inspirations had on his hearers.
50 great calamity Is unexampled in
the annals Of art, and if ANYTHING
could raise the opinion Of such a mans
works it would surely be the knowledge /
that in spite Of the direst trial that
could befall musician. his indomita.
Die Will, courage and industry tl-
umphed over misfortune which " ,tld
have crushed many others and ctu,.ql
them to succumb TO the evil without
seeking remedy for it in the exercise
OF the talent instructed to them
Dwight's Journal of Music.