Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-15
mozART's SOUL Ia MUSIC.

III . OSitlldu monastery IJO years ago Z
number OF tse monks were gathered IL the
refectory. Suddenly there fell upon their
startled ears strains Of music, such as they
had never Listened to. Some grew pale,
and crossed themselves as they hastened
into the chapel. But there were no signs
Of any organis5, though the deep tones still
massed themselves IN new barmouies, g. Il
is an angel, said one. It is the devil,
himself, said another. But when the
boldest had mounted the organ lott there
stood a tiny figure, treadirg from pedal
to pedal, and at the same time clutch.
ing the KEYS with MS tiny hands, gath.
efiag handtuls u those wonderful chords
as if they were flowers, and 1inging
them inso the solemn gloom behind
him The little Woligang Mozart, jour
neymg with his father do IN the Rhlne, en-.
tered the sombsr old monastery, and at the
first sight OF the organ had asked that he
might play, With no instruction tne ~evep-
yesr-old boy trod the pedals and the great
organ roared like some uncoutl creature
beneath tae caresses Of the marvellous
child.
Little Mozart was born aud reared in al
atmosphere OF music. His father possessed
decided musical genius which was trans-
mitted - all OF his children, and the
brother and sister were known far and
wide while in their very babyhood as
musical wonders. It is pleasant to
know that M.zlrs's childhood was
q happy one; that his home was
presided over by sweet German
mother. OF his father we know that,
recognizing in his three. year-old child
his marvellous gift, ne taught him this
prayer: Dear heavenly Father, | thank
Thee for Thy kindness Thou hast be.
slowed upon me q precious gift. Grant
me Thy blessing thss / may use it Alright
for Thy glory and for my best good.
Thus was Mozart cousecrated to his art
In the grand old fashion OF the Germans,
bat the entrance to world of
noblest desire, purest love and OF
divinest passion. a few years llver
Mozart was asked to define music
Music IS the melody TO which the world
is but words, he replied. This idea of
the comprehensiveness Of his art and Of its
s9credness is the keystone to his music and
his life.
While scarcely in his teens his father
took b.m into Italy, where were passed
several happy years, His happy d'sposi-
tIon won him as much love as did his
artistic gifts admiration. OF the latter be
gave tbe most astonishing proofs While
if-Blme the " Missrere was gwen at the
Sstine Chapel This is said to be the
moss wonderful musical work the world
he's ever seen, Nothing in it Is expressive
of a worldly thought; holiness is written
upon It's mysterious tones. Ncz1rt, at IA,
listened to il at midnight in the dGrkeIe1
chapel, and SO great wa the Impression 1t
lett upon his mind that ne wrote out from
memory before he slept every note OF this
wonderful composition, t. copy which was
forbidden, under pain of accommodation.
Mozart returned to his native land at a
period of glorious German Development.
Under that enlightened prince, Joseph II,
f3urishsd B1ch, Handel, Haydn, G!uck,
while literature was represented by Goethe,
Schiller, Tossing Winckieman and Kant
His first opera, " IdomsneUs, was received
with accl5mstious, but the iuconstancy Of
princes favor, the jealousy Of competition,
the tckleness Of the popular mind to-
gsther with the lifelong burden Of debt
under which he struggled, served In a
measure TO oyerwhelm MIN, In vain he
poured forth musical compositions - Of
which be gave eight hundred TO the world.
He could not obtain comfortable liveli-
hood for himself and little ones. He
worked in fevorish haste dawn ofsen
found him at his desk; . constitution,
never robust, began to fail still he worked
on. The Magic Flute only half com
pieted ne b-gau the famous r .qa;em, which
proved his own death song.
Toe witchery OF Moz4rss music lies IN
It's melody, To him the myriad voices Of
the earth were ful Of music, aud for him
the song t5s stars Of morning sang hal
never died away" His life resemblud his
music, not a stormy, yempestuous one ike
that OF Beethoven not made uD Of bitter
disappointment, like that Of Handel. but
one in which much sweet is mingled with
the bitter. His home life was remarkably
happy. We recall with tenderness the
faithful little wife, S,anzsil, whose grace
ful sympathy and loving care never failed
her husband. Mozart had a sunny DISPOSE.
ton, heart brimful Of kindness. striking
honesty Of purpose and 4 face aud figure
OF great beauty though occasionally be-
trayed into excuses which cannot be con
d0ned, " none knew MIN bat e. love him. y
The greatest geniuses have by every viz
tue OF their genius lived near to God,
though sometimes wandering from Him,
snd Mozart made no exc ptjon. 10 the
flush of youth Ae writes from Paris "Tou
must have seen do not ike living
here, but I do my best aud do it with al
my strength. God will take care Of the
rest
In youth he wrote the music Of gsy
hearts seeking beauty and happiness on
EARTH later, the music of broken hearts
seeking divine consolasion-of homesicI;
hearts seeking heaven. His own Requiem
was written at SO. aud while his friends
were Singing tle heavenly strains he passed
away. o. him, as of Raphael, It may be
ssid There is in his works a peculiar
glow and aash Of beauty. whithersoeyer h
went 10 shed beauty from his wings. "
Why did he die so early Because morning
cannot lat I'LL moor, nor spring through
summer. Medina % News.