Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-12-08


Hector Derlioz has somewhere said that
if Weber was a meteor, Paganlni was
comet. And comet lie was, and comet
like his career. The son Of Genoese i'm
6dlldtore, or embaler, al five years of age he
is thrown into an ecstasy on hearing the
guitar-liko notes of his fathers mandolin.
At eight he composed his first aria, and at
nine gave his FIRST concert, where, execut-
ing the CdrmdgnOld with variations OF his
own composition, he achieved great sue
cess. Henceforth his career was one con-
tinuous triumph. Visiting the various
European capitals, wherever ho appeared
he was greeted with enthusiasm that often
became delirium. The phlegmstic Germans
outdid the volatile Italians or mercurial
French. II in Paris he was the king OF
violinsts," in Vienna he was the god OF
the VIOLIN" Orpheus and Appollo were
not TO be compared 10 Paganini. five are
to believe tho musical critics of the times,
he achieved not only the incredible, but
the impossible. lie commenced where
others left OIL, aud vanquished even art it,
self.
Paganini was something more than
grand musician. He was whole orchestra.
He represented a hundred performers.
Playing at sight the most difficult compo-
sitions, 10 say nothing of his wonderful
improvisations, and not less wonderful ex-
ecution upon n single string, he seemed to
have at his command tho whole range OF
natural sounds-tho diapason of human
passion. Love, rage, jealousy, tenderness,
nj n a oil tho gfriuoq
of his inspired instrument, so responsive TO
his mastery touch. Now II was the strain
OF an Eolan harp, or the pastoral song Of
the shepherd, or the lament of love-lorn
maiden and then, with flourish of his
magical wand, you heard the braying OF
donkey, or the roar of the tempest, or the
clash of arms, with the shout of the victors
and the cry of the vanquished; when, sud
denly transported to the nethermost circles
OF Dante's Inferno, you listen with horror
to the derisive laughter of demons amidst
the groaus and laments of the damned.
Ii is related OF the great violinist that, ar
riving at Frankfort one night at an unsea-
sonable hour, he stopped at an inn outside
the city gate. Finding himself unable TO
sleep, he took his violin, went TO the open
window, and commenced playing one of
his wonderful medleys. Feminine sighs
and groans, then tho crying of an infant,
and then joyous outbursts of laughter is
sued in rapid succession from the strings OF
his magical instrument. The whole neigh
borhood was aroused. Night-caps peeped
out timidly from upper windows, worthy
burghers in scant undress Ieconnoitred
sloalthily behind halfopen doors. At length
the more adventurous guests Of the inn,
rushing up. stairs and knocking violently
| at Paganinrs door, with view Of ascer-
taining the cause of all this bubbub, were
quietly informed by the artist that, being
unable TO sleep, he was simply amusing
himself by reproducing upon his violin the
varying humors of an dccouchement.
Still more remarkable, perhaps, was the
strange and mysterious influence which
| Paganini exerted over the most distinguish
| ed of his fellow-artists. Rossini conceived
for him "a species OF fanaticism not unmix-
ed with ave." while Meyerbeer, fascinated
| by his wonderful genius, sought in vain TO
defect the mystery of his phenomenal pow
er. Imagine" says the latter, "the most
NhCSto ~ 10 PO7SiDAO ~ PiNhhNO
upon the violin, and Paganini will even
then surpass your highest expectations"
But the mystery that Meyorbeer failed TO
| penetrate was solved by simple Viennese
burgher, who affirmed that, during one of
| Paganni's concerts in Vienna, he distinct
ly saw the devil, with his traditional horns
and tail, standing behind the great violin
ist and directing his bow, while his pedi-
gree was sufficiently apparent from his
striking resemblance TO his Satanic master.
"Behold Paganinir' exclailns Romani.
HE appears as If inspired, aud from his
ample brow, from his sparkling eyes, from
his thin and pallid couutenance, radiales
the god that flames within. With one hand
| he grasps his violin, with the other he
shakes the bow which is 10 dominate it, as
| the lion-tamer shakes the rod that intimi-
| dates the lion. At the first touch of his
| long knotted fingers the violin groans as il
| il had presentiment of the power that is
| about 10 subdue it. At the second, il shud-
| uers and weeps and complains, like the
magnetized patient when interrogated by
| the mesmerizer. AT the third, it obeys the
| impulse OF the superior will which controls
| 1t, and breaks forth into sounds prolonged
| and sonorous. The thaumaturgus bends
over it shaking his wavy locks, brooding
| it if we may say so, with his gaze; the in
4
shaken, then waver, then yield TO the ir-
| resistible fascination; the spectators gaze
| upon him in silence and astonishment, and
hang upon him without winking an eyelid,
as he pOurs forth continuous torrent OF har-
mony."
| And his ruling passion was beautifully
strong in death. He had lived for art, and
| he died for it. Having overtasked his fail
| ing strength during the carnival OF '39, he
repaired to Nice 10 recruit his shattered
health, but in reality 10 die. One beautiful
| May evening, as his end visibly drew near,
| awaking from a short but tranquil slumber,
aud perceiving an unusual light in his
chamber, he asked his attendant what it
meant.
Maestro, II is the moon," the latter re-
piled.
that may see il once again before die"
| The curtains were drawn, and the dying
| musician raising himself upon his elbow,
| gazed out through the orange groves OF the
| villa upon the broad zone of reflected moon
light as IL streamed over the rippling wa
| ters OF the blue Mediterranean. For a mo-
ment he seemed lost in thought, and then a
smile played over his pale features, as he
turned TO his attendant and called for the
| companion of his many triumphs, his be-
loved violin. Then taking 1t reverently in
his hands, and kissing it tenderly, as he
commenced playing, he poured out his de-
parting soul in a plalntive dirse-like air
that sounded like a requiem. He ceased,
and as the magical notes of the swan-like
music died away, Paganini was no more.-
HdTpeT'S Magazine for December.
=
The New York lawyers are puZzling
their brains over a curious will case grow
ing out of the loss of several lives in one
family by the wreck of the steamer Schiller
l.. r.