The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-30
LISZT Ar 4 MATINEE,
An Enthusiastic woman's Description q the
Great Composers Manners.

Mr.. 8. q. Pratt Is a yonng Westerner.
who has n AIDE musical composition the aspira.
ton OF his life. His history Is touching one.
thrown upon his own resources when little lad
OF twelve he supported himself In Chicago. aud
studied music without a teacher, until In ton or
Twelve years he had saved enough to take him
70 Icrin. Here he began the study OF music
under kullak. aud gave every promise Of coming
out brilliant artist; but before the end OF the
nrst year he strained his hand so that II WIS Inn
possible Tor him to continue his practice. In
and he decided to be composer. lie set him
SELF therefore. to this new ambition. and has
been buGeting the world manfuiIy ana cheer
fully for IT ever since, first In Berlin aud then in
Chlcago. Now again he has gone to Germany to
try and gain there such recognition will
assist him IN his own couatry and at this time
tie was In Weimar. In the nope Of some kindly
encouragement from List. lie conceived the
Idea OF giving an entire matinee OF hts own com.
posltons' 10 whicn the musical circle OF Weimdr
should be invited. IA he mentioned LISTS
name, " You Will not think Of inviting him T. In
terrupted l. appalled, At a presumption which
should conceive paralleled In my own case II
should ask Alfred Tennvsun or George Eliot,
great literary successes at the top OF the ladder
70 listen to The efforts Of my humble self. at the
bottom. ,"Of course shall ask him. l should
consider tnsulted him II | left him OUT" an
swered this typical American.
Ihe AFTERNOON was rainy, and the ladies OF the
class ala not venture out. Pinner and one or
two Others dropped Ia, aud began to fear thai
our friend would not have an audience. But, a
little after 3 the door suddenly Opened ana i'm
Its Franc appeared LISTS striking presence,
with dozen or more young men behind him. I
was completely taken down" but there Is
TO rise at 5 or In the morning, and to work un-
~ IL or l.. after which II u es not make much
difference to him how he spends The rest Of the
uhy. PROBABLY ne would a. soon rlncr In one
place As another. AT any rate, there he WAS, and
IN such an angelic mood, too, that he looked
like = int. all ready to be translated. 1T must
be confess d that he either looks that way nr
Ike something exactly the opposite) He TOOK
Mr' traits notes IN his hand, aud immediately
made himself comfortable, with the syinpa-
thetic Primer on one side % MIN and another
cOngenlal spirit on the other. lie was alw va
looking around for Pinner. by the way. "Wheie
10 PinnerT he would say aud, In fact, " peo-
pie wonder why Liszt has been so loved and
adored, 1t IL partly because few IRE so dependent
upon human sympathy as he. As my friend
time" aud have observed that this infantine
need OF response, which some natures have.
calls II universally out
Mr.. Pratt had asked me TO sit near MIN, so
that he could have the support OF feeling a. II
he were PLAYING to some special person, and
accordingly took my place facing him at the left
hand, or bass Of the piano. all the rest of the
company being on the other side. At tho end
OF every piece, List would come and place the
notes ON the instrument, sit down to II, and
question this, that, or the other or suggest here
or thore an alteration. IL was pretty TO see
them together, and made me think VI nothing
50 much as OF great, grave. shaggy lion, and an
audacious but apprehensive lille hare. The
young composer went persistently through his
whole pr1grtmm,, but after every piece would
receive LISTS criticisms with the most genial
acq .lescenoe IN bis own mistakes or failures
TINS IN Ado IAszt very gentle, and II was truly
exquisite 10 hear tim put his hands some
chord IN piece, and by one Of his subtle mod l.
lations transform the whole phrase. lie teaches
just as some master OF literature might dis
course on poetry, and illustrates any point in
hand by snatches from this composer aud that
throughout the whole range OF music.
When Mr.. Pratt was about two thirds through
his programme, he had lights brought In, as the
rain mnde 10 very dark, aud also come wine
Then Mr.. Guriokx had the brilliant thought to
offer the Master" cigar, aud la ave minutes
I'll the men In the room were smoking aud
happy. | confess that was happier with them,
aud admire the eOou sense Of the German
women in making friends with the tonacco
smoke. for why should we ytner tue other sex IN
80 iunocent an indulgence Certainly II seemed
very friendly TO me, that afternoon, as sat at
the bass or the piano, facing the performer. and
That performer lszt, cigar In mouth. talking in
German or French, while his hands wandered
over the keys even though only Ia snatc es. /
saw, too, one taoledu through the blue smoke
wroatns and the candles that shall never for
the notes and talkiug, and Mr.. Pratt was stand
Ing behind MN, listening most dociIely. LISTS
long gray hair. large, time beaten features
and clerical dress were already Ia pictur-
ours and rounded Italian contours
out Just beyond the Instrument stood
In line al right angles to him, TRANQUILITY smok-
ing and looking on, three young men of such
striking ana differing beauty as TO be almost a
revelation. These were Primer. II ,as, aud DE
Scncliss Tue latter l. young painter OF great
promise, who hus a studio at Welmtr, and VINO,
being very fond of music, WAS often present AT
slight, with very dark HAIR and eyes, small
head with regular, Persian features, and the
most musical, sensitive face In the world. Next
hin stood Mas, taller, and German in tyne,
aud extremely largo and luminous hazel eyes.
Behlnd, tail q stlll, perfect In height ana shape,
WAS DE Scneniss-in absolute blonde, with hair
and mOust lChe OF a pee IliaT anboT-E gold, deep
blue aud living eyes and tho feature sand tnroat
OF Greek statue; In snort, sucn a specimen of
humanity rs l had supposed impossible.