New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-17
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
A TRIBUTE TO OTTO DRESEL
LETTERS FROM SEBASTIAN B. SCHLES1NGER AND
ROBERT FRAME.

ROBERT FRANZ.
TO tho Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: When heard Of the death Of my friend and
master Otto Dre.el, wrote to Or. Robert Franz to
ask II he would not like to say few words "Dou'
him that he could permit to be made public.
thought II due 10 the memory OF one, who, modesty
and earnestly, had for many years labored In inc
cause OF musical art In America and cspeciaii' IN
Boston, that attention should be directed tn what ne
had done and l knew that no one could speak more
authOrtatively on such subject than Robert FRANZ
lie replied that preferred to address what he wished
say in letter 10 me, leaving me To translate H. ana
put II before the American musical public His letter
which have cndcavorcd TO translate as literally a.
possible, is as follows:
As my intimate rlstons with the late Otto Drcsei
arc well known to y"a oa can ln sscked %e Such
harmony Of interest g. has existed D'twec, mn on"
me for r wears d"es not belong to tvcryaaS uSr
rcncc,- especially At 4 time when opinions ana IuoR
mcnt, change rapidly a. they are i"rn'eu' ,.u.
otto Dcscl wa, man OF the finest m,ra eu !, .n
Handel Mohait and Beethoven. under classics. srhn
ert. MrndcN-ohn. Chopin aud sciumanF under hoS
lie dcvot most Of his time and energy ana tney are
masters whose conpo'tin. arc sufficient u III, , me
time IN endcavoing I" fathom and 10 enlghtch 'he"
They have indeed lasted him Till his end
rs far as am concerned ! owe Dresc, e'S va.
deal more than can SAY. Not only IN Germany n .,'
he worked In Leh,lf Of my song: bnt he va, the
n.t who succe>,ulv introduced them ino \msra
makc> note in highly complimentary manner e.
Diesel Furthermore he WA, the means II cnistlnI
energy ar.d activity to degree which "ccnpei
the a,i half Of my life 40 fully that greatly added
I" ny happiness. am thinking here OF nay arlanIr
ucnt, Of The vocal compositions Of sebastian Bach
I'D Handel. We Tvs" were p"rhap. the oly one,
who for years lave interested Ourselves " efforts OK
this kiud. ! II, ed oulv mention the wonderful, bc,n
fnl form that lac hqs given 10 the aria from IIand-Is
- mole: "Oh S',Tp.' These worh> which are pun
l>hcd by BrctkoI and Ilartrl T., LcipSlc can recon-
mend most strongly and heartily " the mu-lcal public
NJ, last ln'eru with llc,el Was In the WORDING
~ new edition Of the wohltemperrte- Xavier.
In hl> rtlt have lalurcd the best Of
our ABILITY. and IT !" tragic enough that sevsra in:t
we r me s %a asr %"si q"
In conclusion. I wish 10 state that | owe great
thank {" l,r,l for having brought me in c"niSet with
| t-tic circles In America. with whom have formed
tic> q friendship; need "nl, mention the name. Of
Lombard. william l.. Apti.orp. CITE. etc. nnd pride
yct c t hs . s ea Sny T sa vi" i" III.
a-tiet has -own In his .rr"nd fitherand bear
fruit, in Wild" and extended circles. and I have no
doubt what tina: N" rru viii be- lasting. bcran>c
tie starting point remains Tor MI times.
Halle. Aux. II. 1890. ROBERT FRANZ
ask leave To- Add n few words. Coming 10 America
thirty odd year, ago otto Drr~el for himself
| m,ny friends In Eoston and elsewhere who have r.
msir-i HI. friends l'r. Like the ,h,litoniss who
l"ilc,cd v"rv evil and WORKING for IT. Adjustment
never sM"r,"d from that purpose. - on" birS"l 'r
lirvcd Bach and HANDEL the greatest mater IN
music. and he lahord nnfirnsly I" MAX" their pro
duc,i0n> known. II he Wa not altogether tolerant h"
va, Al least u1c I, hi, convictions OF his Own
satisfied with them. and OF Tint ground cndrav"r'I
tr s'pprr-- his own compositions which wrrr AWAY
CLASSIC ard good. Instead ~ lnvin: them al"rr and
adding others t. them. shortly after his arrival IN
Bu>ton priIc ~ ZOO IN V~si deal az none, 1T that
tiu.cI offered for N" hr>t song II | Nm"mtcr
rightly. hv the music Iuhl!.!ln. firm Of Eirhari,or
Drcsrl. rat~: rrlu'tart th"'l." he never cNp"ttNd
to set The pi1c - IN HIS CHARMING >"t'in II T"nrI
-nu', "~W"ri and Low" WHEN IN" judge, awiri' ii
the pri/" to him he va mot 1:rr'thlI hsl"n..h'd.
For yclrs otto Dtr-rl ~ niu t"i c!rhs H. T.to'
f"r IT, pc,iorm,nr'. - n,rh ard other good mu-c
III arriucrfn"rts Tor four hands ~ e"ihovrn> sym
plonlr> believe. considered III" best that la, -
been published | va> told that NJ m" ROYAL
Ac h"r, ~ Muc in L. nd"u hi arrangements Of Han
dcls ariaS extern -jv"lv u.r' md much afmIvd.
In hs privat" capacity hr VS. tho >t1Hcl">t and
'ci 'ii-f nd la'u a'd indiN poor artist la
been educ ,'cd al ADJ hN him.
HE friends In Am"rr, viii rejoice In tho
tribute Dr. Robert f'.'H has rald hun. Ia which
words ~ mine seem -nprrNuiu..
SEBASTIAN T.. stIiLESIN.ER.
No z Wilton rlAcc IMnhn:l. = ". Amk IL. loo