Wichita eagle., 1888-05-02
A little further on
kNEcDOTE OF MENOELsSORN.
Detecting One T Sharp In Twenty-si1
yiolins with Chorus and Orchestra

Detecting One Sharp In Twenty-six
Eiolins, with Chorus and Orchestra.
Carl Zerrahn, the veteran conductor of
the Boston Handel and Haydn society,
spent the month of July on Staten Island.
To talk with him, no one would imagine
that his Boston career alone extends over
thirty-four years and that before he set
tied in the New England capital he had
Travelled through the length and breadth
Of the United States for six years as a
member of the famous Germania orches-
ira. He is still hale, hearty and vigor-
Ous, a tireless worker, and bubbles over
with enthusiasm so soon as he gets into
the company Of musicians. He has an
inexhaUstible fund of anecdote and rernin-
iscence, and, like those who remain of his
Did associates, loves to recall the pioneer
work done by the GeTmania in behalf of
orchestral music over a generation ago
Here is one of Mr.. Zerrahn's favorite
anecdotes which he repeated to some
musical friends over q glass of Wurz-
burger; 1T was in 1872 or '43, / am not
sure OF the year, that | went to Schweriu
TO attend a music festival which MenGels-
sohn was 70 conduct. Now You know
AendelSSohn was q great musician ard it
was not necessary for him TO resort to
tricks to advertise himself but at this
festival occurred an incident which still
lives in the memory OF German musicians
rs the 'MendelssohnscLe Els Geschichte'-
the McEdelSsohn Z sharp story. You
may explain it to suit yourselves The
orchestra was a large one-twenty-siX
victims headed by Ferdinand David-and
the chorus about 500 voices. AT the last
general rehearsal for st. Paul in the
chorus, % great is the depth, Nendels-
sohn suddenly raped on his desk to COM
mand silence and said: At one of the
last violin stands somebody played 7
sharp instead of F. His friend David
Immediately jumped UP and went from
stand to stand inspecting the parts. When
he reached the last he cried out: I've
found it. Herr Doctor; here is
the + sharp OF course the mu-
sicians and singers were lost in admira-
ton Of such aCUteness Of hearing, and after
the rehearsal when | went 10 the beer
house with some of the orchestra players
nothing was to be heard except expires
sions OF wonder at DR.. MerdeISsohn' 5 keen
ear. Now | leave il 20 any conductor to
tell whether there ever has existed or can
exist an ear able 10 detect one Z sharp in
twenty-siX vioiil5, with chorus, organ ana
orchestra playing tutt. But near the
sequel. While we were talking about the
incident in came q vioIinist who had sa.
at the last desk. Immediately he wa
surrounded.
How was it with that 7 sharp
A very singular performance that i
sharp said the fiddler dryly. DO you
know, my partner belongs to the military
band and had to go or parade, SO he was
absent from rehearsal this morning; ana
when Or. NendelsSohn heard that F
sharp which the concertrleister found in
my part 1 was engaged il putting or 4
new string
and the whole thing was q petty con-
spiracy between Mendelssohn and David
- exploit the former5'
Il don't explain it, but the sharp before
the f was written in lead pencil, and you
can't hear one F sharp under such circum-
stances, can you now? and Merdelssoh-
was not dependent on such tricks for his
reputation, was he's New York Tribune