Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-08-03
MUSICAL LETTERS.
By E. A. W.

By Z. A. W.
No. y. Notes about some Modern Musi-
clans.
Prepared for the Register.
MEYERBEER.
One of the most celebra-
ted names in the history ofmOdern music
is that of Meyerbeer, the composer OF
the Prophet, LAfricaine, the Hugue-
nots, IIEtoile de Rond, etc, etc. He died
nj Paris, but was born and educated in
the city of Berlin. He, bore the title ola
General Music Director, conferred on
him by the king of Prussia. He belong
ed to that prosecuted race, to whom
Richard Wagner will not be reconciled,
the Hebrews. Unlike some Others he re-
manned true to the faith Of his fathers
and when, at one time, at Paris, there
was mania among the Jews to become
converted to Christianity, he smiled
quickly and said that, If he knew 1t
would do himself or others any good,
he might be induced to take that step
himself, but not until then. The house
i'm which he received much Of his
musical education is still shown to Curl
Gus strangers in the city Of Berlin, but
il is now on the eve of being removed
i'm order to make room for new line of
street railway. 1t has been in the pos
session of the municipality, having
been bought from Meyerbeer's heirs by
the city. 1t is fine aristocratic build
ing and used to belong to Meyerbeer's
maternal grandfather, Liepmann Meyer
WulfE. An old man, the custodian of
the property, still fingers about the
4 - FOL anaalntnG fnrno-
er DAYS. When you mention to him the
old time, his lips grow eloquent and
his ewes shine. He tells of Frau Beer,
Meyerbeer's mother, and what an excel
lent woman she was. "Once | brought
to her two thousand dollars of her
rents" he said. IN official Of the syna-
gogue was just with her. IL know"
She said TO him, you need money!"
''Yesw said he lit is bitterly cold, and
the poor people suffer greatly well,
how much do you need"' 81 must
leave that to you" was the answer.
"Lippert," she said to ME subscribe
five hundred dollars for the poor of our
community, but" added she quickly
1--WE must also think Ofthe poor Christian
people. Take five hundred dollars to
Mr.. --, the president of the Fuel Aid
Association" Such Il good woman
was the mother of the far famed COM
poser Meyerbeer.
RICHARD WAGNER.
That great men have their peculiari-
ties is bur too well known. They should
he overlooked and forgiven. Those
who are not willing to do that, under
stand human nature very little and
show that they range themselves below
the popular instinct which is always
willing To forget great faults over great
excellencics. Richard Wagner has his
crutches and there is no prospect OF his
ever putting them aside. One of them
is his hostility to the French. Quite late
", he has again INDUCED in it which is
50 much more to be regretted, as, just
now the French are drawing nearer to
him and are anxious to acquaint them
selves with the wonderful productions
of his genius. He is opposed to the per-
fOrmance of parts of his operas in the
French language. In letter to Mr..
LamOureus, who has presented whole
acts from Wagner's operas to the
Partisan public, he says: 81 do not care
for 'LOhengrin' being performed at
Paris. / rather wish it would not be.
have my reasons. First, 'LOhengrin'
having gone the round of the whole
world, does not need it. Secondly, it is
impossible to translate it into French in
such manner as to convey a true idea
of the work. | now regret having al
lowed Mr.. Newman to produce my
works at Paris, and have requested
him to leave Paris alone. My works
are essentially German, and hope that
those of your cOuntrymen who wish to
acguaint themselves with them will
hear them in the original. This is
what have to say in the matter"
JOACHIM RAFF,
the composer, died at Frankfort-On-the-
Main, June 24-25. He was born in 1922
OF Lachen, on the banks of the lake of
Zurich in Switzerland and was there
fore sixty years and one month old. Who
did not hear and enjoy"La Fileuse"
by Raft, played in one of our late con-
certs by Professor Cuttings, of Pittsburg,
n composition full Ofsweet melody and
of pleasing harmony, that floats along
dreamily like beautiful bark upon the
Sllvery waters of tranquil summer .
sea? Rails music will live because it
satisfies the longing of not only a re-
fined taste but also of the heart and
soul for music.
FREDERIC CHOPIN
George Matthias, teacher at the
Conservatory OF Music at Paris, an
eminent pianist and composer, one
of the few surviving pupils of Chopin,
communicates some very interesting
details about him in Berlin Musical
paper now before us. He enioyed
4 fhnrNfnfa frafrttnfin,,s 30
1874. He was lucky enough to know
him when in health, or what might
have been called comparative health,
though his handkerchief was always
there often stained with blood. Yet, he
was at his best then, sickly but not
sick, much less sick unto death. He
was dear soul, active and energetic,
he was exactly what his compositions
are, the enthusiastic, the tender, the
dreamy predominating. His APP
pearanee was not pre-emiently aristo-
cratic, yet, it was distingue. He car
ried his shoulders high, yet was slightly
bent, the true Polish attitude. With his
back to the fire place he gave his in
structions. AS teacher he was re-
markedly punctual and incredibly
careful. He was easily excited to anger
and sometimes became so violent that
he would pull out his own hair. Mr.
Matthias once saw him smash chair
not on his account but that of a pre-
vious scholar. There is not in existence
now one good portrait of Chopin, except
the medallion by Boyy.
Chopin preferred the study of Field
of Clements Gradus at Parnaseum-
and of Bach's well tempered clavi-
chord. He was eminently plain and
unpretentious, with no trace of sham
ming or falsehood about him, vet he
was fully conscious Of his power, which
amounted to greatness. His was the
very opposite of humbuggery. He
knew that he was chosen one among
the select, yet, he also knew his frail-