Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-13
MOZART'S MUSIC.

|
a most able production, and since only
comparatively few of the musc-loving
people OF Los Angeles enjoyed the ad-
vantage of hearing it, the essay is here
published in full. Mr.. Willharlitz adj
dressed the audience as follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: You have no
doubt read in the daily papers and on
this evenings programme that the con-
cert which is to follow my remarks is
given IN commemoration of the death of
Mozart, which took place 100 years ago
today. You very probably expect
lengthy eulogy or kind of spoken
dirge on such seemingly solemn occa-
sion as this day memories. You will
be disappointed. Knowing that | stand
before an audience which is intelligently
informed on the lives of the great men
OF history, L deem lengthy remarks su-
perfuous, and will be concise. l will,
however, try to prove to you that this is
rather Gay for rejoicing than for
| mourning.
For every reason in the world, can
not see how it were possible to even
draw up our faces to mournful express
sions at any time when Mozart's name
is mentioned. No one who has read his
tory of music, seen the portrait of Moz-
art or heard his beautiful music, be it
secular, operate or church music, can
help but look pleased at the mention of
his name. His earliest trou bles, his
later hardships, his hard and badly
remunerated labors, his many dsap-
pointments, the jealousies and envy of
many of his contem poraries-left him
even-going and unruffled-all this did
not even draw one complaining wall
from out of his art loving hearth His
music, written to great extent during
some of the most embittering experien-
ces of a martyrlike life, contains an I'M
| dying fountain OF genuine humor, the
| like OF which has never been ex-
| perienced before or after him. Listen
to the Requiem in pace" The sum
| total there was in him OF a dolorous
feeling, and in the darkest and dreariest
parts OF that composition, you will re-
cognize the jingle of the bells OF his
Papazeno attuned to the knells of the
deep-voiced death bells. SO truthfully
depicted in this immortal tone picture.
Why should the world not rejoice
when the name of Mozart is mentioned?
Is it not pleasant feeling to know that
we had him with us, even go long ago
Does his life not stand out prominently
as wonder of the world, not above 100
years ago-but az a bright and warm
sun, which throws the rays of its bless
ing influence on mankind of today as
we'll as it will on those for a thousand
years to come? A life, by its shining
example, has done more to ennoble and
elevate the rich and poor, the high and
low, the well and the suffering, the good
and the bad, the prince and the beggar,
the musician and the mechanic, the
priest and the infdel-yes, which has
done more to elevate all classes of hui
mainly than any other person with
stronger and mightier means at his
command than music!
Mozart was born on January 81 1856,
and died on the 9Th day Of December.
170l. His age at the time OF his demise
was So years, 10 months and z DAYS.
Not quite So years old, he had COM
posed fifteen masses, seven cantatas,
seven grand operas, uncounted farces,
songspiele, entreacts, overtures and in
termezzi, forty-one symphonies. nine
quintettes, twenty-six string quartettes,
unknown numbers of trios, duos, violin
and piano solos and duets, twenty-seven
piano concertos, forty-two sonatas and
many other works OF value. What
other mortal has shown near that in
dustry? Should we not rejoice that
self-sufficiency can have no place in the
vocabulary of a musician who compares
his labors with those of the immorta
Mozart?
There exists no record OF the time
when Mozart did not know music in
| some form. When 5 years old he re-
peated his sister Nannerl's lesson on the
f.. l.
public concert when Sc years old. on
which occasion he played some of his
own compositions and improvised or
| given themes. When years old he
| played before the royal court at Vienna
when he ct once became the pet of the
emperor and empress, the princes and
! .courtiers, and of the great musical lights
of the then very musical capital city o
t Austria. His first trip to London was
/ undertaken when he was s. His frs
} symphony was written at the age Of 10
| At Ii he went to Italy, where he wal
} made "Knight of the Golden Spur
/ by the pope. Two years later he wa
made maestro di Capello" at Bo
logne. Before he had reached hi
twenty-frst year he had written ovel
300 pieces of music, some of which wer
! then considered as being ahead OF tn
l time, they having certain lndepend
e ence of the rules then in use. Some o
: the works exhibited such marks OF
/ progressive individuality that the ole
+ fogies OF the last century were scared.
Q And again, when we read of the pov
e erty of such man as he was a NAL
Q who was honored by princes and poten
: tates, by other great musicians, and, il
. fact, by every one of distinction in hi
} ady, man who was industry personi
8 fied-who wrote music while at his NOR
r than frugal meals, or at billiards (hi
# only recreation), who would carry wit
d him ruled paper so that he might recor
J. ideas for posterity while in socis
= circle or at church. When a genius lik
a Mozart was allowed to all but starvt
= who had to often keep his loved one
a from crying of hunger, by playing SON
n sparkling airs, or dance and cut grimacs
/. for them, while his brain was achir
n from overwork! Should we not rejoi,
t. that we live in an age when such wou
y be impossibleY Should we not be gls
d that the misery OF life, such ss Moza
l. was obliged to livs, was cut short at Il