The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-01-10
THE LITTLE MUSIC KrHa.


In the year l76l, any one looking into
SaltEburgh might have seen a little figure
bent over a table busily scratching away
with pen and ink. The childish hand
hardly know how to hold the pen, bnt
hurried along with marks and dots and
strange-looking characters, smeared with
ink and now and then blackened' with
huge blot as the pen dashed from ink to
paper with trembling eagerness. The door
opened, and the chapel -master entered
with friend, but the little curly head did
not stir.
"What are you doing, my son ~
"I am composing q concerto for the
harpsichord, papa. 1 have nearly finished
the first part"
"Let me see."
ono, please 1 have not yet finished"
The father took the paper, however, and
showed it to his friend. They both
laughed heartily at the scrawl; but on
looking more attentively, the chapel
master said:
See, it is really composed by rule but it
is too difficult no one could play it,"
ut must be we'll studied before it is
played" said the boy. "See, this is the
way it begins" Aud running to the harp
sichord, he succeeded in playing enough of
il to show what his idea was.
1t was indeed musical composition,
correctly composed, but containing such
great difficulties that an able musician
would have found it impossible to execute
it on the harpsichord.
The chapel-master was Leopold Mozart,
and the little composer, only Ave years old,
was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, afterward
so celebrated in the musical world.
Two years before, he had stood listening
at the freside while his papa gave music
lesson to his sister Anna.
"Thou teachest Nunnerl, papa teach
me too"
little man."
But when the lesson was over, and papa
gone, the little fellow went to the harpsi-
chord, and, standing on tip toe CROPPED
among the keys, with his baby fingers
stretched wide apart, till he found and
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 Nun
nerl was at the harpsichord, but perched
on his fathers knee, followed every move
ment and tone, and often played the lesson
after her from memory.
The next year the family removed to
Munich, and the two children were presen-
ted 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
With the little Marie Antoinette, and Wolf
gang shocked the fine Court ladies by
jumping into the lap of the Empress for q
kiss. He could play the works Of Bach,
Handel and other 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
Wolfang played on the organs of most oi
the churches and monasteries.
One evening being caught in thunder
storm, they took shelter in a monastery
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 single
voice with pleading tones, again a great
chorus of response now the rolling thun
der and the booming 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
after another stole into the dark chapel to
listen, and they counted themselves over
and over again to be sure they were all
there. But at last light was brought
the strangers were discovered, and Wolf
gang greatly enjoyed their amazement, ter
ror. aud delight.
They could not believe it was he who
QAu plBy0u bUCu AuuolSP 5O loh OCJohu "hoe
even Brother Ambrose played-their fine
musician. They thought it was spell
an enchantment-a holy charm-a miracle.
And when at last convinced he was true
mortal boy, they lavished their kindest
hospitality on the Mozsrts. and bade Them
God-speed on the morrow with many a
blessing.
At the conservation of church belong
ing to the Orphans Home at Vienna, Mo
Fart composed the music for the occasion,
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 three hundred years
before, he heard the wonderful music
Of "The Miserere."
This is only performed in Holy Week by
the Pope's choir, and no ono has ever been
allowed to have a copy of the music, OF
even to see it. But 80 astonishing was