Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-10-19

ersl singers went to his house. Gounod
joined them in the performance Of his
requiem masz lie sang with great
earncstness and fuI Of power. Almost
a. tha Last note his voice faitered and he
fell 10 the noor. lie remained uncon-
scio1s till TIC end came.
Frustrated BY oserwork-
NJ. Gounod's health has been quite
poor for several years. Two years ago
be Was Frustrated by overwork. and his
friends were much alarmed owing 10 his
advanced years lie had originally an
unusually robust constitution. and 1t
was due 90 this tact alone that he wis
able 10 endure the arduous labor to
which he subjected himself. Love.
work and friendship are the only real
things on EARTH he was accustomed to
say. and love. work and friendship were
the keynotes Of his whole life. I'VE
must kill time lest ID kill Us We have
time 10 rest through all eternity was
another Of his phrases Life without
work simply meant death TO his indofat-
igable genius
The great composer was born in Paris
June IL, 1918. lie entered the con.
servatoire at the age Of 30. and in the
following year carried of the great
Rome" prize emitting him 10 residence
in Italy. whore he studied early Italian
church music, On MS return 10 France
he soon became known as a lyric COM
poser for the stage by his pastoral Of
philemon and Baucis.' This was fol-
lowed by La Nome Sanglante.' Sap
pbo.v a cantata, and ia Colombo"
Yet. in spite Of the unquestionable
marks OF genius which these works con-
tanned. none achieved success. Indeed.
few composers who have risen TO emf.
hence have had more failures at the out
set than the immortal author Of
Faust" Strange to say. this most Gel
ebrated Of all his productions was 80
misunderstood at first that one OF tho
librettists wrote TO Gounod. -Requiescat
in pace. Our Faust Is buried Happily
for this aud future generations the an
nouncement proved false.
His Principal Works.
Among NJ. Gounod's principal works
may be mentioned comic opera found
ed on Molieres "Medecin Malgrc Lui."
known 10 English speaking audiences as
The Mock Doctor La Reihe do
Saba" "Mirelle.- brought out inI Lon.
don in 1854; Romeo and Juliet.T pro-
duced in Paris and London 10 1861, and
.Polyeucte," produced at the Grand
opera, Paris, October X 1878. He was
elected member OF the French insti-
tute. section Of music, in May. 1SG6. and
was promoted to the rank OF cohman-
der Of the Legion Of Honor ID 1877.
The Tribute OF Zomora" was produced
at the Grand opera in Paris on April 1.
1851. In the following year his sacred
work, THE redemption" was produced
at the musical festival at Birmingham.
In 1855 the oratorio .Mors ct Vita" was
produced.
Charlotte Corday" was one bf the re-
cont creations Of the CON poser His lat
est works and those considered his
greatest. are ''Othello" and TFalstaif."
-Falstaff has never been heard in
America, and American musicians and
music lovers have been looking forward
TO its production the coming season with
great expectation.
Retained ISIS Faculties.
Until very recently the great CON-
poser retained his faculties to remark
able degree. A recent visitor thus de-
scribcs him. The fire Of his eye is not
quenched; his eloquence 10 as spontan.
eous and sparkling as d yore. and like
all enthusiastic natures, he ia all tho
more delightful that be has no reti-
cence, timidity or discrimination. He al
lows his instincts to carry him along
aud as they are all genial and sympa
tketic. he - graciously communicative,
and one feels inclined to apply 10 him
one ~ has own expressions: His oui
looks out from a crystal mirror His
study ~ pcrvaded by the atmosphere
radiating from the personality OF its
master. whore unfaiiing courtesy and
encouraging cordIality never keep q Wis
itor waiting or LET him depart nnsatis-
fed with his reception. Gcanod IL tall
quick IA his movements and easy Ia his
gestures. be habitualiy appears IN
smoking coat % black velvet, thrown
well back on his broad chest, "A silk
handkerchief is carefully knotted under
the loose collar II his WOODEN shirt; his
remarkably small feet. of which he il
not little vain. are always shod in tho
Battiest Of patentleather shoes.
His PerverbiaI Kindness
when friend or acquaintance IL an
nounced. he promptly lifts the skull cap
h. coneiantty wears and then comes for.
NdI1 VIII fIttAAtu IAhNs anu a warm
welcome lie - kind too kind, even 10
the indiscrest applicants who do not
acrupie 10 lnvsd his privacy OF take up
MS valuable time. but as be saws him.
-elf. he cannot help Ia His mobile fea-
tprss reflect every passing expression
and convey the Impression ~ constant
attention TO and interest IN lis inter.
locutr"
To have known tsonnod personally"
saws Nine De Strueye. 30 have seen him
raerrily playing the .Marche Funebre
dune Marionnstfa' while relating the
incidents u the little drama 20 a group
n young peopbs, 10 have watched him
raresssng = chiid; o. hsss Iir.@es>d 10 his
ws.m. uafetterod elo9nence ahsn be t.e.
cane Interested 10 any subject: O. have
received some Il his pleasant graphic
notes. = q have gathered memories That
viii endure forever, s-d 81 feel sn nrdy.
ing lore and regard Tee tn genius rho
could with equal grace and rAss b. sbe
mo-t charming Social compassss. render
immortal tne aoee = Marguerite. the
passion q juliet the ralupfaousprs q
Sappho write the Christian aymn ~ the
~stshat Mater sigh the sing = ssgaii
and leud nie Mid rhythm 70 BRIT Hasts >
Bells q Mon ferey