Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-07

IRREGULARITIES OF SOME OF THE LEADING MAS
TIERS NUSFr

IRREGULARITIES OF S0ME OF THE LEADING MAS
TIERS N MUSIC.
Composers differ as much as authors In their
manner OF working. NJ. Gounod Is one OF those
whom composition throws into very fever,
and who can bear no interruption or domestic
sounds about them while they sit ut the piano,
humping the key board with one hand and not
in down their score with the other. Poor Nine.
GOunod once drove him wild by coming In TO
ask him for her thimble while he was endeavor-
ing to link two phrases of an aria. MeyerGeer
used to compose methOd.cally. sitting down to
his piano as a business man to his desk, and
never showing the least irritation II called away
from work, which he seemed able to take UP
and leave off with the utmost ease RoSSni
composed best lying on his back in bed: and il
once he was refine he would lie abed all day
hurnming his airs to himself until he had learned
them by heart, and scoring down whole act at q
time when he had hummed and rehummed 1t to
his satisfaction. His musical memory was pro-
dfg10uS: but his voice was so untuneful that once
an Italian innkeeper, in whose house he once
hulnmed for three whole days at stretch, ran
up TO beg him that he would deSiSt, for that his
'noise" could be heard through the open
window, and disturbed some English tourists
dining al .fresco downstairs. lAuber even up
10 an advanced age, used to derive
musical inspiration from a glass or two of
champagne, and Wagner can only compose with
the assistance of suits of satin clothes OF divers
coiorS, which he dOnS and puts off according to
the style of thing at which he is working. For
instance, when spinning off pastoral duet he
will array himself in primrose satin: when he
comes to martial chorus, quick he bolts off to
his dressing-room to don pair of scarlet satin
pantalOonS, with tunic and cap to match. These
delightful antics were made known to the public
through the very distressing circumstances that
the author of the ''Tannhauser'' was. sued by
his milliner for the cost OF his composing vest
ments, and was made to pay an extremely long
bill. Among those whom one may cali minor
composer, NJ. LecOcq Is the most happily en-
dowed, for he can forge solos and choruses any
where and at any time-in trains, in hot BATH
on the top Of bus in the rain, or in dentists
drawing-room while waiting TO have tooth
drawn. NJ. EaSSeur, composer of ia limb ale
dAigent," who is an OrganiSt by profession,
contriveS his iyeliest melodies by allowing his
fingers to run wild over the keys OF his large
organ, and he, too, is fertile workman. NJ.
Ofenbach, on the contrary, though he has COM
posed SO much, is only prolific during the spring
time OF the year, and while reading by the sea-
side. II he tries to compose elsewhere, and at
| other times of the year, his works are worth
little, according to his own testimony.
As composers differ In their modes OF working.
so do they in their manner OF conducting re-
hearsals once their pieces have been put on the
stocks. Meyerbeer used to be a regular marti-
ne who would let not false note pass, and OBJ
liged Wretched chOriSts to begin over and over
again till either breath failed them or they grew
perfect. Rossini was amiable but fidgety, pa
ternal sort of person, who chucked prime dome
under the chin and Child them for their faults in
the most cc.G:,..a9 way, Win cEaeaI1nS dimlnu-
,, i've expectations, which did not prevent him be-
ing very keen in seeing that nobody grudged
him good service. NJ. GOunod who is all heart
and nerves. weepS profuseiy when things go ali
right, and lapSeS dismal and Respondent when
there is anything like hitch. Tears are with
him sign of utter contentment; and, when sat
stied with Mile. krauss' performances during
The rehearsals OF ''Tuiyceucte;' he used to rush
forward and press her hands With ecStatic fer
yOr, crying all the time as If he had cot an ear
ache. As Mile. KrauSS is rather Jolly lady.
with a tendency to laugh aloud when she is
pleased. the effect CT these scenes was often
somewhat droll. NJ. Gounod, however, was sin
gularly fortunate in having found in Mile.
krauss soprano of the laughing sort for half
the troubles Of great composers have come from
before consenting to sing. insisting upon having
the scores altered to suit their WhmS, Sulked
when their behests were not attended to- and
finally cOntriyed to fall i'll on the day fixed for
the first perfOrmance-[Lo ndon Daily Netcs.