The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-23
MUSICAL.
some Extracts from the Recently Published
Letters of Hector BerlIoz-

The approaching performance for tho first
time In this city OF tho whole OF Hector Berloz's
Symphonic HdntdstQue makes IL opporune 10
publish few "reminiscences OF the composer.
some OF whose works are familiar TO the New
York public but about whom personally little
is probably known. They arc extracted from
his letters recently made public in Paris and
which, rs is remarked there show us " tho di-
vinlty recently invented and adored at Eotre
Dame du Chatcet" in dressing gown and slip
pers for in them he depicts himself ingenu-
ously and furnishes all the materials Tor
Judgment on his remarkable character. The
than his music for - IL drdf de leSprt Get
honme." For France no has compliments rs
Il feel always, II is true n certain mechanical
impulse which causes me TO turn toward France
ut auspiclous moments in my career, but II ~
an old habit OF which rid myself in time: g
vertabe prejudice. France, from n musical
point OF view. is nothing but country OF IDIOTS
and blnckguurds (de cTstins ri de QredtHS)
comparison made by the impressions
which my music has produced on tho public in
tho different parts OF Europe where II has been
heard. convnces me that II is best understood
in Paris"
Ii is not surprising then. that French Jour
-" Finally. and without holding to n strict ac-
count the little sect which has been formed Tor
the purpose OF securing Tor nun posthumous
revenge Berllpz never was other than sort OF
mysterious sphinx to his conpatriots;
To Italy ne WAS even more uucoHlplllucHulIJ
my de Sater knows Mendelssohn and Bel
| lini very well. He wants 10 get up an intimacy
between Bellini and myself which omphati-
| cally decline. Tho hearing OF Ia Sonnnm-
bulR redOubled my aversion 70 such an hc-
| quaintance. What scorel What pity.
| Oh my dear friend, II Is necessary to see Italy
| to make you doubt how they dare to name mu-
| sic in that country"
And again
| "Oh Italians. miserable creatures that you
| are monkeys. ourhng- outangs, ever-glggll ng
| puppets who compose operas like those OF Bel
| lni pacini, Rossini NaccaJ. and Mercadante
| of a great man" &c. HE refers in the last
words to the obsequies OF brother OF Louis
| NHpoleon.l
| Entertaining such sentiments. It Is not sur
| nrising that he found Rome an uncOngental res
| idence. We are told that he found himself
| unhappy among the masterpieces OF twenty
| centuries which surrounded him, and Tux
| meaning of which seemed 10 escape him."
| On the other hand. we find him an ardent ad
| mirer of Germans and German music, and -
| letter from Rome he bitterly lnments that ~
was not present At tho trst performance o
| Robert le Dlable. ,.u -
| thousand maledictions. Must l. 10 coopcd NJ
| here in gloomy and unmusical country, whil'
| they are giving Mt Paris the symphonies aul
chDurs. Euryanthe ct Robert 2"
| We fear that Beroz would have pronounce'
| the United States more Antl-musical than tn
| others and vet in New York. where he probah
fancied tho musical taste 10 bo that OF H.
Choctaws or Sioux. appreciative audiences vii
gather in stcinwHy Hall on Thursday after
| noon and Saturday evening to listen to tn
| performance OF his music by Il great orchestr
under the baton OF DR., Damrosch.