New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-17


theoretical knowledge, sound taste and good judgment
Of the musical monarch.
That Frederick the Great was passionately fond of
playing the flute Is fact universally known he
carried his instrument and music with him in HIS
military campaign, circumstances that Meyerbeer
utilized his opera The Camp in selesa' which was
aftcrward ridiculousy metamorphosed into pEtoile
du Nord.s 1t was Frederick who was supposed to
play one Of tho two flutes obbgati in the familiar air
which Madame Gerster and other brilliant
singers have sung for US in the concert
When the loss Of his front teeth and
equity swelling OF his hands compelled
him to Quit playing he ordered all his flutes and music
to be put away, and said soTowully to Franz Benda:
any dear Benda, have lost my best frsndp
Touching Fredericks skill performer the
flute we have the testimony Of DR.. Burney who visited
Berlin while on his in arch Of material for his
History Of Music, and, through the courtesy of the
British Ambassador enjoying THO privilege OF attending
one OF the Kings evening concerts. Burney says;
was carried TO of tho interior apartments OF
the palace in which the gentlemen Of tho Kings band
were waiting for his commands. This apartment was
tnctiy hear HIS majesty practising solfeggi on tho
aute and exercising himself IN difficult passages
sponcort began by German iute concerto in which
his majesty executed the solo parts with great pre-
Militant and his taste pure and simple. was much
pleased and surprised with the neatness OF his
ana seeIing in the adago in short his performance
surpassed, in many particulars, anything had ever
majesty PLAYED three long and diff cult concertos sue
cessivcly, ana all with equal perfection.
We arc apt to think lightly of the artistic attain
mcnts of royal personages, and in this, as rule, no
| mistake is made. Yet among German royalties there
| have been many sincere lovers and few talented
| connoisseurs Of music Frederick William ii, the
great Fredercks successor played tho voloncello, and
| tturlp Ook
| Chamber concerts. Another nephew of FREDERICK
| the Greats Prince Louis Ferdinand, summoned
Re,thoven 10 Berlin I'm 1896 IL was on this visit
that the Prince played the panoforte for the Bonn
| master and moved him, who was strongly impreg-
! mated with republcanism and not In the habit Oh
crooking the pregnant hinges Of the Knee" TO eAeis
syou have not played in royal or princely manner
| - ras,erlv like n sound pianist and musicianl"
A quartet OF Prince louis Ferdinand's Tin MAJOR
! Is sim much admired by musicians. The English
prince Consort also tried his hand at composition,
but, apparently without much success LesS'~iSo'
when about seven years ago. some OF MS compositions
wore published In London the ingenuity as wen as uio
patriotism Of the reviewers seemed strained uy inc o
! ueatIon TO find merit In them We nave
| in mind particularly the writer oil Inc ieio
| granb n whose eneomiunl boiled down, amounted 10
this that the royal composer had wisely refranea rom
Alternating anything outside Of tho beaten acalenio
track and even IN his songs had rot tred 10 enter .no
province opened up by Schubert or ratneT haa ae-
rlnedsto enter II there Is your court language eer
as matter OF taste, because he distr1lsteo ms ao
| ltv 10 advance SO farp One OF the Prince CohsoptS
sorS the Duke Of Edinburgh is an amateur hddier'
oval Journals take care 10 record every occasion on
.h,ch Ills Royal Hghness condescends to draw the
how across the strings, but equally loyal care not 10
,ov how be plays In Germany there have been some
rcav musical princes, has been shown ana these
can be no doubt that Prince Albert loved music ana
vas man of refined taste in the art II the DUKE Oh
rd,rhurrb has Inherited Of his artistic predec-
,ons as seems to be the case, It is PITY for music
ha bo was not born before HIS brother the Prince Oh
ws,.s who IS drawn once year or so to big con
,r at tbe CRYSTAL Palace, sydenham, by promise OF
A big fireworks show.
rro rrcsont Emperor OF Germany is credited with
-, muslcal and not only that, but OF having the
.sa.e, of the new German school Herr seidl IS
n,hor,tv for the statement that several years ago
~hon ne was conductor of Herr Angeles peripatetc
DoharI wagner Theatre, It was through the influence
:, tna then Prince William that permission was OBJ
,nod N perform The Ring of the Nlbelung' In the
Victoria Theatre, Berlin His illustrous grandfather
rowever was the reverse Of musical, and in the sum
- -, fas8 robbed Tho Tnbune's Musical Pilgrim OF
,ho onportunlty of gcttlng acquainted with a new
onsa nv announcing his intention TO visit the Opera