Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-09-18
Mtsee!Ianeons.
Wives OF Musicians.
The INFLUENCE THEY ExERTED ON SOMI
OF THE GREAT COMPOSERS.

Hans Hoffman discourses in the Brook
lyn Fest Zettnng on the women who mar
ried some of the greatest composers, and
on those that Influenced them. Let us get
acquainted with few. Johann Sebastian
Bach whose importance was resuscitaied
by Felix Bartholdi Mendelssohn. and who
has been growing ever since in the esti-
NATION If the musical public. settled early
| in marriage. When hut twenty-five wears
old ne married his cousin. Maria Barbara
Bach. IN 1707 and settled down with her
AT Muehlhausen. in Thuringia. He had
learned To love Barbara while staying
with an aunt at Arnstadt. Barbara was
musical. PLAYED an organ, and saw in
Bach her ideal of a man. Sne became
the mother Of seven children. and died
during her husbands absence in the sum-
mer Of 1920.
! Bach mourntd his faithful wife honestly,
bul his remarriage became a necessity.
and he found another sweet woman in
Anna Magdalena Muelken, the Youngest
daughter OF a court musician. Magialena
was a fine vocalist. pianist, and splendid
writer OF musical copy-at that time a
great mpishment-a helped her
]
copying his compositions. Although this
happy marriage was blessed with thirteen
children music reigned supreme'in Sebas-
I an Bach house, anu he says in a letter to
friend, George ErdmanE. on the 2Slh of
/ October, 1880: My children are all Of
| them born musicians, and can assure thee
that can very we'll form vocal and in
strumental concert with my family, par
| ticnlarlv rs my present wife sings a very
pretty soprano and my eldest daughter,
as well as nv sons. join with her very
nicely indeed" Bach educated ten of his
sons himself as good musicians. of whom
| Wilhelm friedman and Karl Philip be-
came historically celebrated The won
derful talent of musical art remained a
| heritage through six generations in the
family of Bach. and the latter covered all
Thuringia with organists and"cantors." or
chorus masters When John Sebastian
| Bach died at Leipzig. the 30th OF July,
1850 he left his wild Nv and three
daughters. The sous had all gone from
the parernal home Ten years later the
widow died also, and as what? As cal
mosen frau or as "aWswoman.
Just as fortunate AS Bach had been 10
the selection OF his two wives. "a unforu-
nate was Havdn. the snnnv. simple good
naiured Ha, dn In 1859 Haydn had. af-
ter great struggles got 81 tar rs to OBJ
tain muslca dictatorship with Count
Morzn and settled IN Vienna. His salary
was bur 200 forms, but he had board and
lodging free. Many pupils came to him,
and among others two daughters of the
hairdresser Keller. HAYDN frl deeply in
love with the younger. but his affection
was not returned. tor she entered con-
vent and became IA nun. Father Keller,
who was very familiar with HAYDN. and
helped him often in earlier times with
small loans. persuaded the young compos-
or To MARI, his elder daughter, and the
marriage was celebrated on the 26th of
November. 1860
Maria Anna was however, no wife for
Joseph HAYDN She was exravagant.
bigored scolded ali the dav, and was very
uncompanionable 10 u musician. Finally
She btcame so bad that she only did W at
she thought would annoy her husband
She dressed in the prev ,ilng fashion, I'M
suited to her position invited clerical men
to her table. tor, HAydn'S written musical
scores and made curl papers of them. etc.
| and vet Haydn bore it all as well Is he
lovely. sunny tone pictures in the Sea-
sons. including the love making between
IIaanchan and Lucas and that sweet duet
between Adam and Eve in the Creation"
is riddle. In one letter he SAYS: my
wife is mostly sick and is always in bad
temper. 1t i the same to her whether
her husband is a shoemaker or an artist"
After ne had suffered this state of things in
a miserable marriage of thirty two wears
he seemed exhausted, and wrote. then
renowned composer. to a friend from Lon
don: MY wife. il.at Internal woman, has
written me such horrible things that will
not return home again" AT last HAYDN
separated from his wife. and placed her
a n boarder with a schoolmaster in Baden,
where she died in 1900. Her memory
was always disagreeable to him. even after
her death. When showing her portrait to
u friend in his house in 1905 HAYDN an
swered on being asked who she was
THAT is my wife she has often Infatuated
me. '-Music and the Drama