Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-12-31
The Little Masic.King.

L
In the year 1851, any one looking into
the sitting room of the chapel-master of
SaltZburgh might have seen little figure
bent over table busily scratching away
with pen and ink The childish hand
hardly knew how to hold the pen, but
| hurried along with marks and dots and
strengthening characters, smeared with
| ink, and now and then blackenedwith q
huge blot as the pen dashed from ink to
paper with trembling eagerness. The
door opened and the chapel master en-
tered with friend, but the little curly
head did not stir.
What are you doing, my SOM"
Il am composing a concerto for the
harpsichord, papa. l have nearly fin
ished the first part"
| Let me see"
"No, please; have not yet finished"
The father took the paper, however,
and showed 1t to his friend. They both
| laughed heartily at the scrawl; but on
looking more attentively the chapel
master said: HF
"See, it is really composed by rule;
| but it is too difficult; no one could play
| it,"
at must be well studied before it is
| played" said the boy. "See, this is the
way it begins" And running to the
harpsichord he succeeded in playing
enough of it to show what his idea was
| 1t was indeed a musical composition,
| correctly composed, but containing such
great difficulties that an able musician
would have found it impossible to exc
cute it on the harpsichord.
The chapelmaster was Leopold Mozart,
| and the little composer, only five years
old, was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, af-
terward so celebrated In the musical
world. @
Two years before he had stood listen
ing at the Preside while his papa gave a
music-lesson to his sister Anna.
Thou teachest Nunnerl, papa; teach
me too"
"But thou art baby, Wolferl; wait,
my little man."
But when the lesson was over, and
papa gone, the little fellow went to the
harpsichord, and, standing on tiptoe,
CROPPED among the keys with his baby
fingers stretched wide apart till he found
and played a perfect chord Papa's music
ear caught the sound and he rushed back
into the room to find that his baby had
indeed, all alone, found his way into the
beautiful tone-world.
After that music lessons were for him,
too, and he was never far away when
Nunnerl was at the harpsichord, but,
perched on his fathers knee, followed
every movement and tone, and often
played the lessons after her from mem
ory.
The next year the family removed to
Munich, and the two children were pre-
sented at the court and PLAYED before
Francis l., the Emperor, to the wonder
and delight of all who heard them
Before Wolfgang was eight years old,
and Anna twelve, they had performed at
the courts of Vienna, Paris, Munich and
London. At Vienna they saw and played
with the little Marie Antoinette, and
Wolfgang shocked the fine court ladies
by jumping into the lap of the Empress
for kiss. He could play the works of
Bach, Handel and otner masters, and in
England composed six sonatas, which he
dedicated to the Queen.
Returning to France, they travelled
about in that country and in. Holland,
and Wolfgang played on the organs of
most of the churches and monasteries.
One evening, being caught in thun-
der.storm, they took shelter in monas-
terry. The monks were at supper and
did not know of their guests arrival.
But soon wonderful music began to steal
into the hall from the chapel, sometimes
sweet and sad, then wild and stormy;
now q single voice with pleading tones,
again great chorus of response; now
the rolling of the thunder and the boom
| ing OF the wind, and, as these died away,
soft, clear. sunny strain, telling that the
storm was over The fathers were in
great alright; one and another stole into
l hn owr OH al 40 l.okn
| counted themselves over and over again
| to be sure they were all there. But at
last light was brought, the strangers
| were discovered, and Wolfgang greatly
| enjoyed their amazement, terror and de-
| light. They could not believe it was he
who had played such music, 80 far be-
| yond what even Brother Ambrose PLAYED
their fine musician. They thought 1t
was spell-an enchantment-a holy
| charm-a miracle. AND when at last
convinced he was q true mortal bow
| they lavished the kindest hospitality on
the Mozarts, and babe them God-speed
| on the morrow with many q blessing.
AT the conservation OF q church be-
longing to the Orphans' Home, in Vienna.
Mozart composed the music for the occa.
sion, and conducted it, although only
twelve years of age. At thirteen he
went to Rome with his father, and there,
in the Sistine Chapel, below the grand
| painting Of "The Last Judgment"
which Michael Angelo had painted 300
years before, he heard the wonderful
music of 1.-The Miserere."
Thisis only performed in Holy Week
by the Pope's choir, and NO, one has ever
been allowed to have copy Of the music
| or even to see 1t. But SO astonishing was
| little Mozart's memory that, on his re-
turn from the chapel. he not only wrote
out the music correctly but could also
sing 1t perfcctly "A feat which made him
| the musical wonder Of the age.-Emflv
Noyes, in ~. Nicholas for January.
"A seller of goods, chattels or other
property commits no fraud in law when
he neglects to tell the purchaser of anv
flaws, defects or unsoundness in the
same. N3R3 "