New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-03
THE MOZART CENTENARY.
A CELEBRATION IN SAIZBURO.
THE COMPOSERS BIRTHPLAce-socIAL. ARrIi
TIC AND DECORATIVE FEATURES OF
THE CENTENNIAL FESTIVAL.

! rRoaA srAYY CORRESPONDENT o. THE TRIBUNE
Salzburg July 1e
| To the ordinary summer tourist Salzburg is tho
| gateway 20 the Salzkammergut To the
music-lover il is the birthplace Of Mozart During
! the last week il has been the latter circumstance
that has lifted it into public notice. The city has
few opportunities 10 Gull ont holiday save those
lent by the fame OF her great son. Naturally the
centenary OF his death was an occasion not to be
| neglected. But Mozart died in December. most
inhospitable season of the year in this section Of
country, when the strangers within the Guys
gates might easily he counted on the fingers OF
any one landlords hands. Austrian landlords
are q thrifty not TO say greedy folk and all the
sentiment of the Salzkammcrgut combined with
the patriotic devotion OF all the Salzburgers would
not have suficed TO persuade them 10 take sur
ficient interest in the centenary Of Mozarts death
to pay the expenses OF even modest celepratioh
at such time. celebration in midsummer was
different matter | fancy there is scarcely
citizen of the town outside of the musically in
| clined teachers and pupils of the Mozarteum who
would not have gladly sacrificed the "Requiem'
and the "Zauberfoete" il Mozart had been obligins
enough 10 die in July or August, instead OF De
cember: but since that was matter beyond their
control and no one willing To lose the adj
vantages OF such q centenary, resort was had to
sentimental
forward six months. Thus it came that for the
last four DAYS Sazburg has enjoyed festive SOL
emnity which will hereafter be frequently men
toned in the annals of music. >
The fact that the week chosen that i'm
| mediately preceding the opening Of the Wagner
festival at Bayreuth was calculated to give an
artistic significance to the celebration which i
wish could believe had also entered the minds OF
| the committee of arrangements 1t disposed the
| thoughtful to reflect the changes when nave
come over dramatic music within the time bounded
| by the archonships Of Mozart and Wagner Pro-
| gress or retrogresson-which is It? He would DC
a brave man. or a careless one, who dared to assert
| the latter, yet | am bound to say that even the
most ardent admirers of Wagner must have felt
strange swelling of the heart during this festival
which may be matched In degree but VIII scarceiy
be in kind when next week the harmonies begin
to ascend like clouds Of incense from the mystical
abyss in the temple Of the oracle of Bayreuth.
There will be time enough however, before get
through with my record of this musical pilgrim
ago to indulge in spcculations of this character;
7 will not loiter now Unhappily for the good
opinion that we all like TO hold with reference to
those who contribute TO the happiness Of mankind
by arranging great festivals, fear that the COM
mittee of the Mozart centenary IL they thought OK
the Bayreuth festival at all thought of 1t as only
an affair which would help them in the financial
part of their enterprise; visitors TO Bayreuth
and that term now includes practically the whole
perpatetic company of tourists-might easily he
persuaded to make Salzburg temporary way
station. Thus the master Of the present would
pay tribute TO the master OF the past, and tho
mingling of the disciples of both would encourage
the hotel-keepers of Salzburg in the good opinion
of Mozart (which it is their duty to maintain.
Col fha Of n n.
cipality whose sovereign welded two-fold and
doubly despotic power by reason Of his headship
in both Church and State. need only glance out
of my hotel window across the Salzach to see
monuments of that power. The old fortress OF
Hohensalzburg frowns down on the town from its
dominating height; the cathedral lifts its towers
with Roman haughtiness amidst the houses hud-
died together below All week the walls OF
those houses have shown festive countenance and
glowed with gay irruption of patriotic bunting
while castle and church preserved an aspect OF
severity. 1t was as though the spirit OF that
brutal Prince Archbishop who little more than
a hundred years ago threw away the most price
less Jewel in his diadem was still abroad. In
the grim Indifference of the fortress TO
the festival as well as the perfunctory
part played by the cathedral, there
seemed to be peculiar propriety. The hand which
welded temporal power in Salzburg a century
ago was never extended in helpful kindness 70
her child of genius, and when it was extended in
episcopal benediction in the cathedral none knew
better than Mozart that it symbOzed a mockery
and lie The archbishop who last Wednesday
performed just enough OF a turgical function to
permit the festival To be opened with a perform
ance of Mozart's REQUIEM was merely prelate;
long ago the last shred of his temporal power was
stripped from his predecessor bur he was yet Arch
Sol1 1hurU nd tO of
that title has a sound of evil omen. The festive
spirit of the great crowd changed the religious
function into secular celebration, and the soul OF
Mozart was not vexed hut left in the care of its
lovers. To them truer sanctuary than the ca
thedral was the room in the humble house in the
Getreide Case. where Mozart was born.
The celebration democratic as well as Sec
ular. A Grand Duke of Austria, the youngest
brother of the Emperor in attendance, hut
there was not of the artists who took part
in the musical features of the c0mmemoration who
was not greater object of interest 10 the people
than he In simple truth. fear that he was sadly
bored by the exercises but il must he said 10
his credit that he performed his function, which
was to lend his presence 10 the occasion and he
seen bv those who wished 10 see him. with entire
gravity. His sharp features ian Austrian Grand
Duke is so thin that the wind cannot incOnveni-
cnce him when once he has balanced himself on
his fcetl never reflected the slightest interest in
the proceedings but il must be set down 70 his
credit that neither did they betray the fact that
no was Offering himS1.f as living sacrifice to
sense Of duty. A pretty American girl filed his
lorgnette for five minutes at the theatre when. on
tbe last night Of the festival The Marriage Of
Figaro was performed, and he exhibited COM
ical desire 70 use his opera glasses a, short range
ON a few other persons. but beyond this he had
nothing 20 do with the celebration, and, as | have
alreqdy intimatcd. the celebration did not concern
itself with him. II was peoples tribute TO the
memory of one who came from the people.
am still lost in amazemcnt at .he fact that
the festival was actually carried out on the
lines laid down by the Committee of Arrange
rnents. and came 10 satisfactory conclusion
hnn O.i. tl,>