St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-05-06

w Ills
wholly lost in a wild Bohemian chant,
which was really prOdigious. List said
not word. OverpOwered by the gran
deur of the scene, he listened religious
ly to these wandering artists, who seem
ed to have no embarrassment as to
what music is, and who OWNED it as
by inspiration.
1t is hardly possible to describe the
nervous, jerky fugues of the viOlins,
the piercing notes of the flute de Pan,
which dominate the grave movement,
the expanded song, only to bring out
more strikingly the hoarse and discord
ant plaint. In this music there are
piercing cries, mad shakes and jerks,
and melanchOlies of endless degree; the
chant is sustained by the monotone ac-
compartment of the cObsa, and rein
forced now and then by vocal phrase
one only-which stops short, coming
in again at certain intervals to throw
into this strange performance its saw
age note.
List was all the while listening,
leaning back in his high oak chair. He
devoured the Tzigans with his eyes,
and mt times his nerves received shocks
which became visible on his fine face.
When the last chord sounded, he clasp
ed his hands together, and his over
charged breast heaved sigh of relief.
Oh said he, 'hOw ravishing, how eX-
quisiter The whole assembly burst out
in applause. List drew from his pocket
Il handful of gold pieces, and dropping
them into the glass of the Tzigan, said ::
Let us both drink, LaOutar.'
The two cups clicked. List was so
affected with emotion that his hand
trembled violently as he emptied his.
At the end of the hall, the Roumanian
patricians, accustomed to those curious
melodies, talked among themselves, and
after each piece threw few louis into
the glass of the bard.
Soon afterwards List arose, and go
ing to LaOutar, said:
Thou hast made known to me thy
music, BarbO LaOutar; now am going
to make thee acquainted with mine
The old Tzigan placed his hand upon
his heart and made low obcisance.
List seated himself at the piano in the
midst nf =, e;Ion.a ,rI;.b suJ ,I.,,l,- +,,1-
possession of the assembly. LaOutar,
violin in hand, listened attentivcly, his
eyes fixed in his turn on the mystic mu-
sician. The pianist at first trifled with
il prelude; then, abandoning himself
wholly to his marvellous inspiration
running over the keys with his long,
Outstretched tingers-he improVised ii
Hungarian march, whose leading mo-
tive, large and melodiOus, predominant
ed i'll the midst of arpcggios, trills,
and frightful difficulties which were
scattered all along through his work.
Then, becoming more animated, drunk
with melody, his face pale and head
thrown back, with eyes half closed, he
went from one end of the keyboard to
the other, rolling out cascades of pearls,
which melted together and then gradu-
ally died away in the original motive ;
his fingers ran with fantastic agility,
ing again and again to the song of the
beginning, which was grand, magistral,
yet plaintive like the chant of an or
gan. 1t was fearfully imposing, yet
cXquisitely beautiful Never had List
been at such height. The Roumanian
SeigneurS listened, without comprehend
ing; Laoutar comprehended. His eyes
had been steadfastly fixed upon the
performer, and he had not lost Il single
note. His physiognomy had something
of do not know what-some indie
scribable strangcness of emotion, dur
ing all the time of this brilliant impro-
visation.
List rose from his seat amidst the
frantic applause of the audience. Bar
bO LaOutar advanced towards him, and
offered in his turn a cup of champagne,
saying, i'll the ROumanian dialect:
1T is my turn now, master, and
pray thee to drink'-and the glasses
clicked. 'Barbo Laoutar,' said List
what thinlest thou of this melody ?
1T is so beautiful, MASTER responded
the old troubadour, that with thy per
mission, will try to reproduce it.
List nodded acquiescence, but smil,
ed with an air of incredulity.
LaOutar turned toward his orchestra
and placing the violin to his shoulder
commenced the Hungarian march
Nothing was omitted neither trills
nor arpeggiOs, nor variations with re
peated notes, nor those adorable chrO
first motive. Barbo LaOutar brOugh
out i'll detail on his violin the entir,
improvisation of the pianist, who, il
CONSERVATION was listening to the worl
which he had but just thrown upon tn
keyboard for the first time, and whicl
perhaps he had already forgotten. Tn
orchestra followed instinctively, oh
serving all the shades, and regardin,
attentively the old Barbo as he wa
abandoning himself to his violin, who's
, jerking, screeching fugues were playin
havoc with the heart-strings of List.
When the last note had terminated
when the Tzigans had let their instru