The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-10-03
"reminiscences Of Mozart.

A great Italian violin player--a lady,
by the way-camc to Vienna and got
the Emperor's patronage for her con
cert. Mozart, always ready to assist
an artistic, undertook to write Il sonata
for her, aud put off composing it until
the night before the concert. She asked
that she might at least have her part to
study. He sent it to her on the MORN
ing of the concert, but he had no OPP
portunity to put his own on the paper
The concert went off successfully that
night, and the sonata was executed
without evena rehearsal. The Emperor
was there in the royal box-the concert
was given in the Opera H0use-and
looked down at the conductor through
his Iorgnctte lie knew both the strength
and weakness of his chapel master, and,
suspecting that Mozart had no notes be-
fore him, sent to him for the scores.
When the sheets were brought 1T was
found that only the lines of the bars
had been committed to the paper.
May it please your Majesty" said
Mozart, there was not single note
lost"
We know how the prodigy played for
Marie Antoinettc, but of a more char
acteristlc interview we have, unfortu-
nately, but little record. One day
Mozart's friend, Prince Lichnowsky, in,
sisted on starting from Vienna and tax
ing tour into North Germany. The
friends visited Leipzig and Dresden.
Berlin lay also in their way, and at Der
lin Mozart was presented to the King
Frederick the Great received him at
Potsdam. The King was musician
also. Mozart played. Frederick talked.
Ultimately, the King always glad to at,
tract anything that was excellent to his
lreary capital, offered him Il pension
of 81 900 year if he would remain, but
Mozart refused. One memorable anec-
dote of that visit to the north. Mozart
had gone from Berlin to Dresden, and
was returning back unexpectedly, tic
reached his hotel late in the evening,
and asked the waiter his usual question
on coming to II strange place-what
music was being given? The waiter
said that the German opera had iuS' De,
CUBAN opera called Die Entlllhrune
but he could not remember the com
poser's name. Before his sentence was
we'll finished Mozart was gone, nao
reached The theater, and was standing
at the door of the pit III his travelling
dress. As the opera went on ne Puancu
his way till he came nearer and nearer
r. the orchestra. Every one was now
looking at the uncouth figure, dusty and
trayel.stained, beating time and hum
ming the air of an opera that was abso-
lutely new at Berlin. At last, ut one
passage in Pedrillo's air, FriSch zum
kampfc," the score proved to be wrong.
The second violins always played D.
sharp instead of D-natural. Mozart
could stand it no longer. " Can't you
play D-natural?" he shouted out. The
very musicians were astonished. These
were not the days of photography, still
the whole house recognized the little
man in the dusty coat, and one OF the
performers got so embarrassed at the
idea of singing before the composer that
nothing would induce her to come again
on the Stage. The curtain had fallen;
The audience were impatient, the ma",
ager was sent for, hut still she w9uld
not 20 on. In the end, Mozart maj
himself to go behind the scences, s"s
by his entreaties the prima DOM" "'
encouraged to continue.