The Russellville Democrat., 1884-05-08
ELEVENTH YEAR.---NO. 16.
Perplexities of a Musician.

of the public. We'll, one day I met him on Lis way to dinner, and as was my habit, inquired "when his famous recital was to occur;' for l had seen in the paper an announcement to the effect that Her Won Snushingsohiter would execute the March from Tann- hauser, arranged by himself for four teen pianos He appeared worried, and as if in deep thought; so it was some time before he replied to my question concerning the concert; but after this long pause, he began:
 .sYon know 1 am advertised to play tomorrow evening, and one of my plan ists has fallen sick What am I to do?"
 Put ofi the concert" was my sug gestion.
 "Never,n he shouted. "A warmed up dinner is never worth anything in tie matter of concerts. You must never put off The public is fighty. capri cious, pitiless. Learn to seize the hour when it is favorable to you; if you don't, it escapes from you without any reason"
 "Announce only thirteen pianos," I said, thinking I had struck the right thing.
 Another error still more danger ous,' was the reply. ''The public want to have fourteen pianos, and if you give it one less it will think itself outraged. It demands fourteen pianos in full view on tie platform.
 The difficulty was becoming insur- mountable. Chicago, with all it's won dcrful advantages, possessed but thir- teen first-class piano players. re- ilectcd on the subject for few moments, and with much excite ment in my voice called his attention to the fact that the proprietor of the hall in which his entertainments took place had son who was spoken O as perfect prodigy in music, and Ue might secure his services. My friend was delighted at the suggestion, and we went at once to secure the young man, who was fattcred, and assured us he could execute any of Gottschalk's, Thalberg's or Liszt's without difficulty, and for him it would only be fun to take the part that was wanted for the March of Tann- hauser. So my friend accepted his as sistance, and the young fellow started 1 with us to the hall, saying all the while l he required no rehearsal, as he played at sight. My friend began to wear the same worried expression. and on reach ing the hall he whispered his fears to 1 me.
 "Expcrience," he said, ..had long l taught him to shun amateurs, and he l trembled more than ever for the sue cess of his concert"
 However, my friend assured the young confidant that he doubted not his ability to perform without rehearsing, and that the re- l hearsal was less for the difficulty of ex- ecution than for playing together, and that, if he wished, my friend would play with him to point cut the move ments. So the young fellow placed l himself at the piano, and, Ike all amateurs, after having executed q noisy flourish, attacked with the bold ness of innocence the March from I Tannhauser. At the end of two bars, my friend whispered to me: My mind is made up; I know what l am l to expect
 Well, l, too, felt unpleasant, for the most complacent nearer would hardly have been able to distinguish shred l of Wagner's s theme which was floating here and there like waifs in the midst of an ocean of false notes in a deafcn- ing storm of continuous pedal. The l storm could not be described, nor the complete wreck of the measure and I spirit of the author. My friends posi- tion became horr ble-to refuse the assistance of the first amateur of On 'cago, elegant and rich, who would probably circulate among all his friends and all the good society of the city that he designed to give my friend the use of his talents. I did not even make remark. It would have been as much use as to try to make q piano out of a jewsharp
 The rehearsal was short, and the young aspirant stood beaming oyer with 1 joy and pride, aod, looking ;st my friend and wiping his forehead alter tho piece, said:
 !" Ha, ha, what,did tell youp"
 The young fellow seemed convinced of his worth, and with the ease which only amateurs possess where the pub lie is concerned, repeated to my friend many times, graciously smiling with g satisfied little bow: .Oh yes. l think that does very we'll; besides, it is quite easy.
 We parted; that is the young man left us! My friend thought seriously ol postponing the concert under the pre- tense of indisposition. when his tuner, q man of resources, said to him:
 s'Sir, if this young man plays, trouble is inevitable with the other pianos. Itis absolutely necessary to prevent his be- ing heard and the only way to do il is ths," and at the same time he pushed back prop in the piano de. signed for the young aspirant--an up right piano-took ont all the interior mechanism, and, looking triumphantly at my friend, added: "The keyboard remains, but there will be no more false notes.
 The plan was excellent. The evening came; the hall was full; our young con. fdant, in white cravat and evening dress, was in the hall; his friends awaited the moment of hls appearance with i'm patience; he requested my friend tc g've him piano in full view of the au dience. 1 placed his dumb piano 1T the middle of the stage. My friend i'm pressed upon his thirteen that in order to produce the greatest effect it wa indispensable not to make any preludes that thus the public might be more sur prised to hear all at once the fourteef pianos attack the flourish of trulapeti with which the March of TaEnhauser bo