The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-11-28
ANECDOTES OF THE COMPOSERS.
Emphatic IIandel-Cynical Ifaydn-Sin-
glc-mndcd MuIart-McthOdical
Chcrubin.

trcor@c frlcurich Hanuci directed Tor
some time the opera in London. He led
on the harp. One evening, just rs the
orchestra was finishing the overture, an
attendant told, him that the prma donna,
Sgnora Cuzzoni, had sent down word from
her drc>Sin" room that she was to i'll to
sing, Handel knew that her action was
mere caprice. In passion he let fall his
harp, sprang up 10 her room. burst open
her door, and, Selling the songstress,
dragged her toward II window.
II know YOU are she devil" he
shouted, "but will compel YOU to behave
Yourself Ii YOU don't 20 directly to the
stage and sing. YOU will lie living out there
on the pavement in five minutes.
This argument was too much for the
prima donna. She hurried down stairs
and sang like nightingale.
Handel played the harp 50 beautifully
that his accompaniment often attracted
more attention from the audience than
the singing. \ Jealous Italian tenor after
humiiating experience or two with IL
thus distracted house sworc that the next
time Handel tried TO moncpolizc the APP
plausc he would Jump down from the stage
and smash the harp.
''Do it, do it. said Handel to the tenor,
after having heard Of the remark, "only
let me know beforehand when YOU will do
it, for. by proper advertising, this per-
formancc may be made much more popu-
lar and profitable than your singing"
Joseph HAYDN long lived away from
attention To Il bundle of unopened letters
addressed TO him and lying on his study
table.
All, you must not notice them. don't
They are from my wife. She sends me
the odious things once Il month and
answered them once Il month without hav-
ing read the addresses. She does the
same by my letters to her
Young musician asked Mozart what to
do in bcginnng,to compose music.
do nothing" was the answer.
But YOU did composition when much
Younger than |.
Certainly; but asked no questions.
If man has the soul for it,, he is shaken
and tortured by it. He is forced to do it,
and asks not how or why"
Mozart WAS the most abscnt-minded of
men. Whic he was busy with the compo-
Paris. He took chambers, and sat down
Immediately to work. After several hours
he looked at he clock to find it long past
dinner time. He clappcd on his hat with
all haste, and half ran, half tr0ttcd to the
PaIais Royal. just "a he stepped on the
threshold Il new idea buddcd into his
mind. He walked in hcstatingly and alb
stractcdv. sat down mechanically, and
glanced thoughtlcssly at The menu.
a potion OF vcrmicclli soup" he NUT
tered.
The soup was brought, but the composer
did not stir. Five minutes, ten minutes
Il quarter OF an hour passed, and the soup
grew cold while the music OF don Juan"
took form in Mozart : mind. Finally the
waiter removed the soup and asked what
next.
Fried sole was Mozart's answer.
The soup was carried of untouched, and
shortly the sole was placed before him.
Mozart remained still completely absorbed
in the thoughts OF the composition Six
dishes were served consccutvely with in
lcrvals OF fifteen or twenty minutes, and
all were carried away untastcd and ap-
parently unseen. Two hours after his en-
trance into the Palais ROYAL small cup
of black coffee was on the table before
him He raised his hand as if to take it,
then suddenly his closed fist fell on the
saucer. breaking it TO flinders, and send
ing the coffee in every direction. AT
last have it, he shouted, as he sprang
from his chair. Before his untastcd din
ncr he had composed the finale of the
third act of "Don Juan
Luigi Chcrubini, the creator of The
Water Carrier" and an ardcrt admircr OF
Mozart. was his antlpodc in the method
OF his daily life. He could endure no per-
inmery, aud usually left the room when
ever scented handkerchief was drawn
from woman's pocket. He was exceed
insly painstaking in every detail of life.
Everything with him was very carefully
re sUlAtcd. The smallest bit OF his ward
robe and toilet articles were numbered
In his most prosperous seasons his over
coat, the GROWING piece OF his wardrobe.
would bear the number 40 or 40 In
less prosperous times. however, the num-
Der might fall as low rs 10 or go. On the
morning %; the day on which he died he
called to his nurse for 4 pocket handker-
chief. She brought il. He unfolded it
carefully, looked at one corner and read
there NO. 81
This won't do, he said. "Everything
must he done in order. and here have
handkerchief No. 5, while the last one
used was No g.
Yes, | know" answered the nurse
but drop OF cologne fell on NO. /, and
knew YOU could not endure the odor
OF it,"
THAT makes no difference" Every
thing must be done in order. Bring in
No ~
The handkerchief was brought, and
Cherubini, after, after making IL terrible
face on accout OF the odor from tn,
cologne, rubbed it across his nose with
mutterings of disgust. Then he threw il
on the floor and said: Now give me No
s." No. was the last handkerchief til,
composer ever used.
; One winter afternoon caller on Cheru
bini was surprised to find him in an un
: heated room in company with three full
bearded men, who had their feet in tub
of ice water.
"ln the name of Heaven, what are VOL
doing hcrcy" asked his friend
''To-morrow We shall give new mass,
, answered Cherubini, land need coupl
of very heavy basses. None of the me
here has voice heavy enough, and 80
!. | am irving 10 deepcn thpir nOtrs n littln