New-York tribune., 1879-12-31
GoUNOD AND MENDELssOHN.

GouNop's EARLY PASSION FOR MUsic-rksTISG THE
RcY's sPowrRs--MENpFLssonNs CHARMING SIS
TER.
book entitled The Mendelssohn Family mas
recently appearcd in Berlin, the success oil which
throughout Germany has been such rs to fairly en-
title II TO the honors of translation. IL CONSISTS Oh
letters ana fragments of private journals Idgeoa-
eLern selected collated and edited by Mr. Sebastian
Hensel. the son of Mendalssohns sister Fanny. THIS
book contains matters of interest, not only concern
IN Mcudelssohn and his people. but their relations
also with lsrgonumber of artists of Germany ana
other conntrcsy II comprises much that REFERS TO
the early musical of Charles GOunod ana par
ticniarly To that period when the author OF FAUST
was a student of the French Academy at Eome.
Some of these particulars Will he found fresh ana
entertaining by The readers of iHE TRIBUNE
Francis Charles Gounod was born at Paris III 1918.
From, his early boyhood he evnced strong musical
tastes the development of which. however, ms
parents we're far from favoring On several occa-
sions they severely r,proachd NJ Poirson, the pih-
cpal of the boarding-scho0 IN which he was placed,
for not checking tins tendency Of their sou. NJ
Porson at frst attached importance t" the must
cal turn of the boys mind. sincerely believing that
he would become professor of Latin or Oreek. but
as Couuod Was continually caught scribbhng bars.
of music. the priucipal finally summoned the boy
into his prcseuce and rcprimaudcd him. threatening
punishment Tor the next offence Gounod hOidlY
declared that he intended To become a musician.
and that he therefore would continue to wrlte muse.
no matter what tie punishment. NJ POIrsOn then
handed the boy IA sheet OF mGsic-paper, saying
lie. me see what you can do. Compose Tor me
n new air on ;he words of Joseph.
a peiuc s0riir lie reniancr'"
One hour later Gounod returned with the sheet COW
cred with notes. ALREADY y asked the principal.
lyon have done it too quickly But sing anyway.
the piano and sang and his composition drew tears
from the old Gentlcmam's eyes. When the boy had
concluded PoirsOn embraced him, saying: Your
parents may speak as they will. You can write
music To your hearts content When Gounod. after
winning the great prize OF Rome had has iiISt WORK
performed in the Church of 81. Eustache. NJ. Por-
son who had been IN attendance. sent his card To
the young composer with these words written upon
II: Bravo. youux man, whom knew as boy.
shall always bless the day when l commented your
writing OF music"
InlsiO, VI. and Madame Hense with their
Sebastian, passed the Winter at Rome. They held
select reunions at which the intellectual society WAS
won; TO gather, especially the foreign artists, vino
held in great esteem the character Of the amiabe
mistress of the house, who was musician OF fine
feeling aud endowed with charming intellectual
and artisiic qualities. l have said That Madame
Hcnsel was the sister of Mendelssohn. Born Oh the
years. From the l'cn-porirait gwen by Sebastian
Hensel w. find that one of his mothers shoulders
was slightly higher than the other-a heritage from
Moses Meude.ssohn, the philosopher. Her beautiful
black eyes lost of then profound expression on
account of the ightcdness with which she
was afflicted. She was warm-hcariod, sympathetic
and hy nature incapable of dissimulation Indincr-
ent to material enjoyments SHE perpetually hun
gorcd alter artistic life and intellectual society.
pianist of the highest gifts she devoted much of her
time also to composition. Many melodies If hers
have been preserved as her brothers, notably Nos.
@ 3 and IL OF op. tHeimreh. Laiid Saieika and Ha
Irnl ana Nos z 10 and II oil op. 8 t>ehHsach, Ver-
lust Die NORAcl Other works Of her brother'have
been attributed 20 her la the Songs Without
Words" however, MendelssOhn owes nothing to his
sister.
Like many women of her nation Madame Henscl
religiously recorded in faithful Tagebuch" " her
travels aud her impressions of men aud things, and
II is thence than from her letters that her
has drawn examples of hor experiences. The follow
ing extracts mainly relate to her intercourse with
GounOd
Ter E4steT Every then dspeises. Ihis neases
himself To Naples. the other sets o0t upon some Ions
voyage But iOr us then ns4ol opened period OF
Roman lie tue happieS pernap' IN my mutbIrs exist
Little by ite an Intimate giOup'Of friends gath-
cred about my pan cnts. PRINCIPALLY artists. ohieest
thein being tue three young Frcuchmcn DuEas-
rnuc of LI"stratioal, and Gounod. then musical stu
deht In the frcnca Academy al Rome. After these were
Charlotte young Dane, related TO Tnorwa0-
s~n, pianist OF rsre abilities, aud tue German artsts
Maguus. Esasscr ana kaseo"sSy NV father painted
morning. dued at o'clock, and tnen TOOK drive
friends. In the evening parents visited TINS
that or better st our friends canc to US and
. whcd away the time with music
In Mime. Hensels diary frequent mention ls made
of the name OF Gounod. Here is curious passage
dated the "a of May. ls4O
This evening have played several pieces. especially
the Oi Bach. which although they had heard
Ofteu euOusn, unnamed them all. They kissed my
hands and could not calm themselves particularly Gou
nO0. who l. young man OF cxuberant vitality. can
MOI mud words 10 say how mucn influence 1 exert
hun and how happy he ls when with us BOusquet and
GOuuOd very unlike. The iOruier IL calm In dispo
sl,ln aud ,uciies toward French cassci~n the latter
Is passionate ultrarOnanicst, all re and sentiment
ahsu. Upon GOunod German music ialls IKE bomb
sncll a and IL may happen that IL yet may
wOrn terrible damage upon his mind and methods
These fears of Mime. Hensel have proved ground
less. She also wnen she thinks that IN her
house Gounod made his first acquaintance with
German music. All biographies prove that Gounod
had been thoroughly familiar with all the works OF
Beethoven since his fourteenth year. Mozarts
don Juan" be had known bv heart from beginning
10 end. The probability is that when Nine Hensel
speaks of German music she means only the works
Of Bach. its father, the giant Of whom GOunod has
written SHOULD all music be destroyed. might
reconstruct il, could the works of Bach be saved
from the disaster" But to return TO the diary of
Nine Henss. Under the date of May :. we find
the following item: This evening Magnus aud
Our Frcnchmen or. as we now call them The Three
Capriccs, were here. Bousquee is the Caprice in
A, Gonnod the Caprice in H. aud Dugasseaux
that IN minor" These names alluded TO the three
Caprices which Mendelssohn composed for the piano
while he was in Wales. She continues:
Asusnal have had much music, chatting and laugh
.r,d haNa ale