Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-15
Written for THE EVENING STAR.
THE CELLO PLAYER.
By ALLEN G.. BIGELOW.
ICOpyright. 1851


back TO the manuals, his left knee elasped in
both his hands, and meditative look in his
hne, expressive brown eyes. stood facing him
with my back against the gallery rail, my two
elbows resting upon IL and equally medita
tive look in my eyes of no particular fineness OF
color. j know how Gilbert looked because
could gaze directly into his face. know how
] looked because j could glance beyond Gilbert
into the lOOking-glass over the keyboards. And
between the lookingglass and the keypoards
lying open at the last page. upon the music
rack was what had thrown both Gilbert and
me into tins meditative silence. 1t was piece
OF manuscript music, written in an exquisitely
neat hand, clear as copperplate, yet full OF
Character, and rs unlike the soulless work o.
the professional copyfst as possible. The music
was defaced by stains, had been torn and
patched, was thumbworn at the lower corners,
and altogether showed hard usage.
The reason that Gilbert and I thus faced
each other in rlcditative silence was that he
had J1st been playing this composition while 1
listened Had you heard il, you too would
have sunk into silence, we did, and 1 am
much mistaken if your eyes would not have
hclt. beside II meditative look, perceptible
moisture Either Gilbert's organ mirror was
shsmefully beciouded with dust or else nv
eyes were dangerously fun, for my face looked
in distinct in the glass. / had never heard the
piece before, bet Gilbert played il, hardly
slancinS at IL, though he turned the leaves as
Ii was requiem, evidently composed for use
IL the Roman Catholic seryice-a sad Yet noble
Wo.h, thiit hiied the arches OF the great empty
ShUtch with the very spirit OF woe as the minor
hstr.nonies flowed up the nave, and seemed to
surge against tine very altar itself, as If seeking
solaCe where alone III might be found. My
heart swelled more and more rs IL neared the
close. After the final chord, and when tine
tear within lie were trembling on the divide
not Knowing which way to flow, / glanced at
The last page of the music. There, after the
heavily-ruied double bar at the end, written be-
ESfs
hand, were the words:
DE prcftutdiS cIamaUi al te. Domino" 1t was
then that my tears refused to go back whence
they had come.
As we thus faced each other the afternoon
sun suddenly sank below the caves of the
church roof and shOne directly through a win
dow into the organ lott, staining Gilbert's face
ana hands. lie quickly got down from the
bench. turned and leaned MS elbows upOn it.
and looking at the manuscript in an odd sort of
way, said: .'l'n tell You where
Ut nrst did not understand him; but in a
moment L remembered that alter he had
stopped playing had asked: Where did YOU
get 1T GILBERT" and that he had not answered
me or spoken single word till now. l sat
DOWN in a chair and Gilbert began his story
Il had been engaged 10 direct the spring festi-
val of the NOrthfield Musical Association in
1870. The festival was to last three days, and
the closing performance TO consist entirely of
Nendelssohns oratorio, Elijah L must say
that the Mortified association was one of the
best choruses IL has been 10y fortune to con-
duct it was composed OF The best singers in
nye towns, and numbered some $50 voices.
w hen tell you that they were ali good bal
anced each other perfectly, and that they had
Ine!r .EllJah music well learned when first
met them, three days before its performance
You will readily understand that il was a
pleasure 10 conduct them.
The committee had spared 10 expense in
making their arrangements. Metz WAS TO sing
EfDsat-and when all is said and done would
fat.ier hear Metz sing that part than any other
nIs.n IN the country. The other solo voices were
rsiHt:ll, anu had al orchestra picked for the
Decision
Everything went along smoothly till the last
sal Of
l love, but whose disposition / hate, began his
tantruIns. had selected Grozzi TO play the solo
cello, well knowing that Metz would not sing
MS part at all unless 1T is enough accom-
panied as II should be. Now Grozzi can play the
cello obilsato To 1T is enough nearly as well as
Metz himself can sing IL. But for some reason
Metz found fault with the way GrozZi PLAYED
The ObligatO, and the whole rehearsal came 10 "A
BtandstIll. We tried three several times. and
eacI time Metz stopped stock still soon as
GrOzZi had played the introduction, and
1umbly refused to- go on. was angry The
~noie chorus gaZed down at the actors in this
absurd drama much as they might have looked
upon q dOg-hght from the raised seats OF an
Rlnphitheis;er. saw that unless I asserted my
authority there would be total decentralization
The pause after the third sIoppase was but mo-
nentary. raped sharply for attention, turned
The leaves o. my score, announced the next
humber, skipped the troublesome solo entire
and away we all went, leaving Metz standing
with his book in his hand livid with rae
Presently he sat down i'm his chair. fiyed his
Dyes on the chandelier IN the center of the hall
and did not move uutil the intermssion we
AT the intermission Metz arose and left the
hali- here he went did not care. / was
thoroughly mad and would have abandoned
Inc Whole oratoTio and given concert of Sc
iected music, which We could readily have
done. before would have submitted TO Metz;
chiidiShness, and told the committee so.
After the rehearsal the committee came to
me III great distress. Elijah was the chief at
traction of the three days session. Every seat
IL th@ house had been taken, they said and
only Elijah would do. The people would not
put up Win anything else, and get there was
Gil
hotei-a hotei By the way already overcrowded
6y thgse :" no had come from distance to
lear AIiJah-thc obstinate basso evidently de-
lcrInlued not 10 sing note. Not one OF the
committees dared beard the lion in his den:
would Try him and see if could pacily him?
NO, said, very emphatically. i would not
eobde>cenc TO paciiy Metz. But 1 would make
him sing II the com nittee desired me to.
re committee were delighted.
But should need the backing OF the COM
uiitee. O
the committee We're charmed
But possibly IL might become a question for
ths lawyers
The committee were in ecstacies; three out
oil Inc i've were lawyers.
BY this time II WAS haif-past six. The per
:9int;-nce was TO begin at eight i walked to- the
hOtei the committee remaining at the nall by
ny request As stepped upon the verandah
Metz tarew away his cigar-stump and lighted
afTesh havana. lie offered me one, / de-
c.Ineu. ne pushed chair toward me with one
loot coolly sat down on the rail OF the We
randall. Metz changed color, but Went on
Metz I said, Il have lust ten minutes In
give 10 you They VIII be devoted To allowing
You 10 make up your mind whether or not YOU
VIII sing tonight. lou can do lust a. Won
choose II l. a matter OF supreme indifference
u me- II You don't sing, shall simply Change
tiie program, and tell the audience 2ChU il is
Changed And you viii return home without
u cent % Your salary tor your three DAYS here
pay ing yOUT own hotel bill and railroad fare
INTO the bargain. i only come To you now on
teiiaIl oi tie committee. Take your time: YOU
have eight minutes left To decide in L CON
inUct looking AT my watch. Then drew ont
my O'sn case and LIGHTED. a cigar
NOW l. Metz had been poor ard proud he
would have spurned my offered pardon Being
rIcn AMI MEAN II CuIy needed three. luinutits
contemplation OF ais threatened loss TO decide
HIN.
IN sing. Gilbert he said; come and take
slass % zine
No, thank you, answered turning on my
Af-i '.u leaving him, 10 go back 10 the ANXIOUS
roiiHiitee with my news.
me A-alI WCUi. not have held another per-
Sd. wien / entered the dressing room al a
quarter before eight. The chorus was sea,ed-,
S-t1 FANS Inc musicians were ming in upon
.I.c stage when SOME one asked ~ hcre's
XII: sure enough, where was he: Not i'm
sii~ building, not "A. the hotel whittier an usher
WIS u.siitscied pos. haste, for when the usher
:. &c odch He was bTeiatnssS from running and
hli-tp>t SilvCcfless with bad news. o.rozzi !,att
ps.ld his Oil ana taken the . o clock tram ior
nome.
Hero was pickle, 1 must confess | vas
nearly nOored this time. The sensitive Italian
NiOIoncelllst, offended, outraged By Metz in
Sense-aud had certainly taken a most eifcctr.,.
having He Ep.Ny wall a,,o,,I