Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-12-08
The Eccentricities of Musicians.


Gluck was not one of those restless natures
who are tormented by an incessant desire for
work. The cacoefhes scribendi was not his
failing. He was fond of retirement, where
he could read. muse and pbilosophize at ease
After the success of his ''Alceste" at Vienna,
he led the quietest of lives, affably receiving
the most intelligent and accomplished persons
of the day. But away from home, engaged
in his professional occupations, the case was
completely different As soon as he took
possession of his music-stanu as leader OF the
orchestra, the courteous host was changed
into a fearful tyrant. The least fault com
mitted by the performerst, he misinterpretation
of musical phrase. the failure to give
delicate shade of expression, put him into a
state of fury. He made them begin over and
over again, twenty or thirty times, until he
was satisfied. Sometimes the hard words and
seedlings fell so thick, that the musicians,
instead of striking up, struck work altogether
leaving the master to storm at their empty
desks. When they complained to the Emperor
Joseph H., Offering TO resign, the good
natured monarch only said: .sIIow can /
help it? He is not bad fellow but the Bon
Dieu has made him so, and neither you nor ]
can change him. Consequently, when
Gluck led the orchestra. the musicians
received double pay. For him, fortissimo
was never vigorous nor lond enough; as for
pianssimo. he required an almost inaudible
softness. The work and act of composition
he treated as serious matter. When the
moment of inspiration arrived, he gave him
self up to it body and soul, forgetting food
and drink, and starting from his bed at night
to try musical idea on the piano, and scoring
it down before returning to rest.
Gluck was not alone in his arbitrary pro-
ceedings. All composers are tyrants more
or less. only each has his own way of setting
about it. Rossini, Meyerbeer, Auber, Ber-
loz. Verdi, have had quite as despotic will
as Gluck and If, in the pursuit of an ideal
execution. they halted at the twenty-fifth re-
hearsal of a passage instead of proceeding to
the thirtieth, it was by no means for want Of
goodwill to do it. Meyerbeer gained his
ends by the most polished politeness. His
insinuating way of treating his artists, OBJ
tained prodigies of patient devotion. Ros-
sini. imperturable. full Of fun, enlisted the
laughers on bis side. He took the bull by
the horns, addressing the delinquent: ssMy
dear fellow. that ID sharp you make me a
present of is certainly not bad as far az it
goes and will make a note Of il for future
use but ] happen to have written ID natural,
and this time. if yen like. we will keep to it."
In Mozart az an adult, and considered a. a
man. there was much that stood in need Of
indulgence and excuse. Like all nervous ma
lures, his mind required 10 be diverted and
amused when not more seriously employed
Left alone by himself in the intervals Of work,
he fell into fits Of melancholy. He wanted
company to occupy his thoughts.
The iabors Of a modern composer involve
the expenditure Of physical force, which
must be restored from time to time. His or
ganic machinery cannot go on without fire.
quent revictualing. Great expenditure of vi.
tality demands greatsupplies. Mozart ate hear
tily, anddrank quite az much as was reasonable
So have other hard workers subjected to sim
liar mental strain-Alexander Dumas the elder
to wit, and our own King Hudson, of quon-
dam railway fame. At the age Of twenty six,
the word moderation" - applied to any of
his pleasures, did not exist in Mozart's vo-
cabulary. After an impFudent marriage