The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-09-17
WASHINGTON NOTES.
A SHORT SKETCH OF CHEvALIER AN
TOME DE KoUTsKI.
That Brilliant Pianist Wonderfully Per-
acknowledgment Generally Dull in
the Summer Season-Waiting for
Congressional Times.

| WASHINGTON, ID. C.-Like all well
ordered places, we have the seasons
here in regular succession-spring
summer, autumn, winter, and each
has it's peculiar charm, but everyone
knows that oft repeated phrase "the
season" applies simply to that time of
the year when congress is in session,
when the homes of cabinet officers,
distinguished statesmen, government
officials and private citizens alike are
thrown open to dispense hospitality
and good cheer. When the buzz of
the bee is heard in the clover bloom
and the katydid breaks the silence of
night with it's ceaseless asseveration,
when the sun glOws warm on the
hillside and the soft south breeze for
gets to bear it's balmy message, then
the rush begins for change of scene
and air, and in little while the city
is like deserted banquet hall. Small
entertainments in the way of. light
plays furnish the summer evening
amusement, but brilliant light in
the dramatic or musical world seldom
visits Washington out of"the season.
so Glen Echo Chautauqua may well
be regarded an intellectual benefactor
because Of the grand feasts that have
been offered the public day by day.
The noted event of the week was
the appearance of Chevalier Antoine
De Koutski, court pianist to the en-
peror of Germany, who was greeted
ON his concert night in the ampithe-
alter by magnificent audience. With
easy grace combined with royal dig
nifty he moved across the great plat
form, and after bowling acknowledge
ment to the enthusiastic crowd, whose
burst of applause bespoke their cordial
welcome, the grand old man seated
himself at the piano, and in an
instant you recognized the mas
ter hand. Such precision. such
accuacy, such skillful manipula-
ton of chromatic, major and minor
cadences no word of mine can fifty
describe. He sat at the instrument
like q king on his throne, his silver
crowned head well poised, his full,
clear eye seeming to look afar into
the mysterious world of sweet sound,
and his shapely hands Outstretched
above the ivory keys seemed the con-
Meeting link between that invisible
world and ours. His programme in
cluded selections from Weber, Chopin,
Beethoven, Schumann and Schubert,
and the rich tones, now soft as
zephyr, now loud as the storm
kings mutterings, seemed to drop
from his fingers ends like pearls
from string, and the most wonder
full of all was his own magnificent
composition, "The Awakening of the
! Lion
A little sketch OF this grand music
al genius will not be out Of place
here. Antoine de Koutski was born
in Cracow, Poland, and in 1921, when
only years of age, he made his first
appearance in that city. He stormei
the public heart and won distinc-
ton at once, earning the soubrique5
of "the Boy Mozart" Alto years OF
age he was sent to Vienna, and
studied under Beethoven. After a
time he was made court pianist to
Queen Isabella of Spain and to the
queen of Portugal. Later on he was
made court pianist by Emperor Will
lam Of Germany, and from him he re-
ceived the beautiful decorations
which adorn his breast-"the cross
Of the Golden Eagle, and "the Crown
Cross" Here in Berlin he composed
his masterpiece, "The Awakening OF
the Lion" and the beautiful bit OF
romance connected Herewith makes
it doubly interesting. The theme is a
noble one-the struggle of Poland for
freedom. De Koutski was visiting at
the home of friend, who had very
lovely daughter. 1t was their great
desire to have her musically educated
and while she made some progress
she evinced small interest. One day she
listened to De Koutski as he rendered
this piece with inimitable skill, and
as she comprehended how it typified
the efforts of her own beloved country
for freedom, she received a fresh in
spiration and began to study music in
earnest. She was but child in years
and one day, with the freedom and
innocence of childhood, she asked the
chevalier to marry her. He laugh.
ingly promised, and 10! as the years
slipped by he came, and after brie1
courtship, redeemed his early pledge
Now seventy years have passed over
his head, yet the sacred fire of music
burns in his soul, as in the days of his
youth. He has had personal &C.
quaintance with many of the worlds
great musical geniuses; once Chopin
asked him to render some of his
(Chopin's) manuscript. De Koutski
did so, when Chopin clasped his
hands to his head and cried out in
seeming despair: "Why have I not
this power?'
Once, when on diplomatic mission
he was shipwrecked, only single
companion, a nobleman, and himself,
escaping the watery grave. They
landed on the coast of Algeria and
produced their passports, but the
monarch of the place said they were
L