Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-05-21
AN ECCENTRIC PIANIST
Some Odd Doings OF Won BulO,v, tho
Eminent Musician.

|
Bulow, the eminent pianist, has los
his position as court pianist to thu
emperor of Germany for publicly in
sulting Herr Won IIulson, intendent
of the royal opera at Berlin, may moi
seem of much consequence to Ameri'
cans, with whom mere title does not
count for much, but in a monarchy,
where there are marked distinctions OF
caste, it is considered severe punish
ment The title and position enabled
the pianist to appear at court. His
dismissal is the vindcation Of another
government official, for the intendent
or manager Of each of the various roy
al opera.houses throughout Prussia is
government official. No doubt Won
Bulow would have escaped censure
had he offered suitable apology for
his offense, but he aggravated the
matter by adding second insult to
the first one.
The circumstances Of the original
offense were as follows: At concert
in Berlin Won Bulow, in response to
the generous applause which followed
one of his performances, took his seat
at the piano and played an arrange
ment of the coronation march from
"The Prophet" The audience was
surprised at the selection, but still
more astonished when, in response to
another round Of applause, he came to
the front of the stage and said: 81
thought it only proper to play the
march, as many of you doubtless heard
it converted into circus music at the
performance of The Prophet at the
Royal Opera-house last night. Won
llulson, though highly indignant, took
no notice of the insult further than to
post up bulletins in the opera-house,
requesting the artists and other
employees not to discuss the matter,
and declaring that the remark was not
extraordinary from person Of Won
Bulow's known eccentricity. 1t was
hoped that the matter would end here,
but Won Bulow forthwith wrote to
three well-known German showmen
among them Renz,apologizing to them
for placing the orchestra Of the royal
opera-house on a par with their circus
bands, This was too much for Won
llulsen, and he accordingly obtained
the dismissal of his critic from the po-
sition of court pianist.
Won Hulsen's reference to Won Blu.
lows eccentricties was not unreasona.
bic. lie showed them occasionally
during his engagement here. 1t is
usual for our piano manufacturers
when celebrated pianist plays in pub
lie on one of their pianos to suspend a
placard with their name from the case,
This was done regularly by the firm
on whose pianos Won Bulow played
while in this country One night while
playing at a concert in one of the
southern cities he stopped in the mid
die of 4 piece, rose, jerked the placard
off, threw it on the floor, and resumed
his seat, beginning the piece over
again. lie had not played more than
a couple dozen bars when he once
more jumped up from his seat and be-
gan kicking the placard over the stage,
not desisting until he had kicked 1t
into a far-off corner. Then he began
the composition again and played it
through, casting, however, as he left
the stage, malicious look at the pla-
card.
lie once played in this city Beetho-
ven's great "SOnahar das lIammercla-
vier," which contains a passage call
ing for an unusually prolonged triIl.
The pianist was well started on the
trill when suddenly he stopped. He
got up from the seat and walked all
around the piano, STOPPING over it and
peering into the case Having done
this, he resumed his seat and began
again. When the same point in the
trill was reached he desisted once more.
jumped up, stamped so violently that
he made the dust fly, and rushed off
the stage with furious gesticulatlons
German cuss-words in abundance
were heard from the stage door, until
he reappeared with two men, who
showed the offensive piano aside and
moved another into its place. Then
he sat down and played the sonata
through.
After his leturn to Germany, Won
Bulow became conductor of the opera
at Hanover. His engagement, which
resulted in series of brilliant produc.
lions and revivals, came to sudden
close by his row with the tenor, Schott
Once, while Schott was singing
"Lohengrin," Won Bulow dropped
the conductors baton, and closed both
ears with his hands. This was more
than Schott could stand. lie refused
to sing if Won Bulow remained; and as
it is easier to obtain good conductors
in Germany than good tenors, the
conductor had to 60. While in Hano-
yer he showed his eccentricity by Civ
ing Beethoven's ninth symphony
twice in succession at a concert. Won
Bulow always conducts by heart, and
after leaving Hanover and going to
Meinington to found his orchestra
there, he made that orchestra perform
several of Beethoven's symphonies by
heart.
Tho KINGS Roots