Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-12
THE TOUR OF LIszT.
How His Triumph in EnElsnd Com
pares with Former iriumphs.

ing, lionizing, moDbing a great mad- AL
this habituany dull season before Easter,
when for some inexplicable reason the
boat race, although one of the best ever
rowed, was below par in public interest,
when politicians alone caught fire on
home rule, and Mr.. Gladstone speech OF
three hours and a half was yet unuttered,
the advent OF List on our shores was one
OF those proyidential boOns tor which 1t Is
almost impossible 10 be too grateful, ana
which 1t seemed equally impossible to
make too much Of.
Wbv. wherefore. how. on what grounds,
ny what unspokeu Masonic intelligence,
did ii suddenly become the mission OF
English soc ETY. to welcome the aged
Able like some newly discovered demi-
god will ever remain unexplained, such
things are and must be accepted. Inc
occult fat went forth. List was to be
acclaimed, crowned, mObbed, carried in
triumph, nearly murdered, in the instan-
taneous and mad desire TO do him honor
and To testify Observation-Disclosures Of
any kind and for anything directly or in
directly pertaining TO him Why, List?
Way had it not been Verdi. Tnalberg,
Wagner, GOunOd, BulOw. Rubinsteing
Again the query remains unanswered
save BY the words: ut is List. ASK no
more"
Since the days of Garibaldi no reception
has been on so grand aud unanimous
scale. no accounts Of il more proiiX. 1t
is probable that the generality Of the peo-
ple--not the p0pul ace-knew who the
hero Of Gaeta was-a patriot, an Italian,
q cOndOttierl with a red shirt; the friend
OF the king, the terror OF monarchy. At
any rate tney knew he was alive, and
turned the Crystal Palace into huge
civic tent TO show him of. But poor,
dear, great Able Liszt! How many Of
those who rave about him to-day
knew a year ago that he was
still iiving-that he had not died
years agOg He might have been,
for allthey emembered.a contemporary Of
Paganui or Falestrina, worldly maestro
or saIEted ascetic. The "RnapsOdie
Hongroise," murdered by generations OF
pianists, was pretty generally attributed
TO him. but hardly ever in London con-
cert or London musical salon were any OF
his compositions on the programme.
When illusions were made to him by ar
cbeOlog zeal cOnnoIseurs in OirtaOSG he
was seveTally described as Intirm, in bis
childhood. crippled, bound by a vow TO
the Pope never to touch piano, confined
10 bis room, never to leave Italy; and yet
the London world took the List fever in
its most acute form.
Despite the artists great age, he was
pounced upon before he had fairly reached
his destination. Great ladies', men who
like TO be before the public on all Occa-
siOns, professionals who must be seen,
laid hold of tie traveller at a suburban
station OF the Dover railway and bore
him OF, not to rest. but to be fed aud
toasted. From that moment he has not
called one hour Of the day his own. Re-
hearsals have been turned into paid-for
and crowded performances; concerts
have followed one upon The other, culmi-
mating in their turn in other re-
cepti0ns, where those engaged in
their own peculiar duties would
come and stare at him; the
Queen has hidden hun TO Windsor
aud led him to the piano: ungenerOus
pressure has been laid upon him to play.
The oyaiions Of his early youth We're all
nut repeated wBen the proud beauties of
Paris. London aud Vienna were ena.
mored oi Ihe boy artist, and the Ouch
esses OF the FaubOurg st. dermain took
him on their laps, caressed mis- golden
curls kissed his iair forehead and. called
him "ll BambinO Santo:r or, later on
when the youth OF Berlin took the horses
out OF his carriage and harnessed them.
selves to it; wben, in RUSSIA, boyards
and moui Ks gazed upon hIm like a super
natural being, aud the Premier Dowager
Of Weimar rose in a crowded theatre and
exclaimed aloud, alter hearing hin play:
"How handsome. How grand! But he
will Kill himself"
At Pesth, in 1873, after concert at the
Hotel de Vile, the audience sprang upon
the platform. Flowers, snreds Of hang
ings. torn pieces 0 music books were
fought for and carried of as i mement0
OF tue memorable night, aud the police
bad 10 Interfere TO prevent splsndid pi-
nno from b. ing brok sn up with the same
intention. The neEg morning Huugar-
an editor wrote: "Who has heard List
once will RENE mber 70 all his lite."
IL NAV seem inyidIOus TO recall without
criticism these iollies OF enthusiasm
abroad while censurIng similar extraya-
gance in England. But abroad the feel
ing. the appreciation OF musical talent,
Is sincere and innate, while in England il
is purely artificial and matter of cap
rice or fashion. BAD judges and bad crit.
les, the dHettanti are also bad admirers
and bad partisans. They accept but never
make reputation, are easily duped into
taking iinsel Tor gold, and IN reality only
value either IA proportion TO the eXtOr-
iionate prices thes pay for it, Admira-
lion with MS is de cO9'HtDlde. The laven-
der gloves OF the Prince OF Wales give
the signal OF applau Sc, and bali dozen
women OF note in all the meaning of the
word must wise the passport OF success
before &C. Is current.
~ D." 4 idAH AlNLb uds lGLdlUcG tue
noble. marked, severe features that were
- Characteristic, but they are slightly
pufied ont with age, which Lends TO MS
face seml-monachal expression. His
hair, which he wears long and tumbled
as OF yOre, IS entirely white. His ewes
have lost neither their piercing falcon
glauce nor the sudden twnkle Of ire.
sistOle hum0r. He is tall and spare
with sinewv limbs, wrists supple and
iirm as steel, immensely long fingers and
powerful hands, wearied by the incessant
bammering Of the keVs, but when he sits
himself down before the instrument. pre-
lnding by few chords, be can still evoke
the impeiuoue. frenzed work OF har
mOny which eyerObeyed his call In earlier
days.
List has often been accused Of selfish
ness. 10 was said of MIN that his mcmor,
was unretentiyo Of layors conferred, an,
that gratitude sat lightly on him. Hl
gave out but one denial to this censure-
IN 1873, at the death OF Napoleon I'll
When tie Whole OF Europe threw blam,
and contumely at the yanquished and de
thrOncd Emperor. he wrote "a noble, inde
PEND Mt. stirring letter in which be- begai
by saying: "rhe hour will strike 81.
when France will bring home the e0niI
al Nauole0n III. and place 10 beside tha
Of Napoleon H." and ended viii thes
words: "ln all bitterness and humility
attempt 10 initiate bis perseverinr. deli