The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-08
ABBE LISZT.
An Hour With the Great "Meister- and
His Pupils.

I
An Hour With the Great "Meister- and
His Pupils.
! Liszt is a man of the world In the
highest degree, gallant host, a con-
vivial guest. but he adds to these quail
ties others of far more solid kind
When his life one day comes to be
written, it will be recorded that no more
self-denying and no kinder-hearted
man ever existed. Many a promising
pupil would. but for his material assist
ance, have been unable to pursue his or
her career. In his early years he ex-
perienced the greatest triumphs due to
his art, and takes no little pride in
knowing in how high esteem his genius
is held. The great refreshment of his
declining years lies in handing down to
posterity through the medium of others,
whom he has especially chosen. his con-
ceptions of music as a science, to be q
living testimony to his greatness. There
may De a little pardonable self-lauda-
ton in this. but there is no doubt that
to hare been pupil of Liszt is pass
port to most of the concert halls of the
world. 1t must be remembered that
musical excellence" is the only intro
duction required to the charmed circle
of which he is the center; but it must
be excellence such as to augur great
ness in the future. Not one farthing
of pecuniary remuneration does he ever
accept from any pupil.
Between two and four o'clock in the
afternoon of about three days in the
week musical reunions are held in the
Meister's salon There are then gath
cred together about twWlty pupils
around his grand piano-pupils is per-
hapS hardly the name suited to the
persons here collected. 1t might be
said that there were assembled a num-
Der of admirers looking to their chief
for words of appreciation. encourage
ment. and advice, but yet pupils they
call themselves. A pupil is invited to
play. LISTS nOdus ODerGRdt is to al
low them to choose their own pieces.
The young lady singled out seats her
self; the Meister PAGES the room and
beats time with his finger; all the eyes
of the remaining nineteen enthus aSts
are fixed upon his face; nod of ap-
proval means sullen looks from the
nineteen; at remarks such as: ''Go on.
90 on, That is your wav. Tastes
differ" the nineteen faces light up with
glee and flash eXultation, for this means
failure on this occasion, and the sole
endeavor of these rival artists is to mar
row the circle of the Meister's admirers
and favor ties. 1t is. however, the high
est reward if the PLAYER be constantly
interrupted, and if the Meister himself
takes his seat at the piano and replays
the few bars. This is recognition, in
deed. 1t is bad sign if the piece is
allowed to be finished without COM
nent; the more frequent the Interrupt
tions, the greater as rule the perform
er's perfection in the art-except. of
course. in the case of really famous
performer For List. though sympa-
thetic is Sparing of his interest until
frst-rate standard has been reached.
That green-eyed monster. jealousy,
plays nowhere in the world a greater
role than in Weimar generally, and in
the MeiSter's salon in particular. Petty
intrigue to gain the great mans favor
or to bring a rival into disfavor are un-
ceasingly going on. To possess one of
the hairs from the Mester's venerable
head, to kiss his hand, and. in the case
of lady, to be chastelv kissed upon
the brow in return, constitutes the sole
bliss of the hard worked worshiper of
Listz. Weimar echoes not with the din
of arsenals and workshops, but With tho
changing and banging of some scores of
pianos, each endeavoring to out-Herod
HerOd and to forge weapons to assert
the superior ty of Liszt in the musical
world. While his pupils are inter-
changing glances and looking askance,
the great man sometimes not infre-
quently-retires to his buffet and re-
fresheS himself with glad red wine. By
four O'Clock the seance is over and now
woe to the poor Meister, and woe
to the happy posseS5or should he
present a flower to any young
lady as a mark of special favor.
Those who know him more init
mately will then successively upbraid
him. and will, until they have received
other and similar tokens of recOgni- |
ton, plot against the now luckless pos !
SCISSOR. Those who stand more outside |
the charmed circle will beg morscls of
the costly flower, and treasure them in
their secretaries as souvenirs. 1t may. !
therefore. be readily conjectured that
such marks of distinction are but sell
dom given.
The rest of the great Meister's wax
ing hours are mostly given mp to the
composition of oratorios, one of which, /
die heilige Elizabeth" he conducted |
and introduced to the world at Marburg
in 1888. Thus lives and thus works /
List. the Altmeister of the tonic art;
and so long as he lives the classic
groves along the lin will not miss a /
worthy successor to the celebrities that /
have made the name of Weimar famous
Pail MGU Gazette.