The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-24
A METEOR'S FLASH.
Personality of a Musical Genius, the Late
Peter TcaaiskOwski.

A METEOR'S FLASH.
| Personality of a Musical Genius, the Late
Peter TcaaiskOwski.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, Nov. 20.-In the spring of
| 1881 there appeared at the opening of the
| great Music hall in New York city, which
Andrew Carnegie built and endowed, a
composer of music who in his field bore the
same rank as John Ruskin or Alexander
Dumas or Ralph Waldo Emerson did in
that Of literature, and who, in fact, in his
| musical writings suggested some of the
artistic traits which distinguished each of
these great writers. His name was famil-
lar to music lovers all over-the world and
he was an especial favorite in the United
States, although but little was known of
his personality.
He was Peter Tchaiskowski, Russian,
with the blood of the Czcchs ccursing
through his veins and making itself felt
sometimes in his Eost vivid and impas-
stoned music. An immense tbrong gath
cred in the Music hall, perhaps 5000 per
sons in all. Secretary Blaine was there
that he might witness the honors paid to
his son-in-law, Walter Damrosch, who was
to act as conductor of this musical ceremo-
NAL. In fact, it was while attending this
distinguished celebration that Mr.. Blaine
was smitten with that attsck which was
even then portentous Of mortality.
Young. Damrosch had invited Tchais-
kowski to come to America and assist at
this opening of new home for music,
and the Russian, being delighted and hav-
ing opportunity, promised to come to con-
Nf Ctrol
tions and to write one piece specially for the
occasion. When it was announced that he
was TO come, American music lovers felt
as though lion had been captured by Mr.
Damrosch, and many of them who live in
remote cities decided to be present that they
might see Tschaiskowski and hear some of
his compositions as conducted by himself.
Tschaikowski was seen to be g man of
medium height and not Of great and i'm
posing figure and of those bearlike proper
tlons with which Americans are apt men,
tally to picture the greatest of the cars
subjects. His cheeks were Of as delicate
pink as those of maiden. The yellow
beard and hair slightly touched with gray
and worn with careless care were ali that
suggested his nativity. He bowed modest
ly, and it was then seen that he was with
out trace of those manners of affectation,
self consciousness or vanity which have
characterized some great musicians, nor
did he have any Of that nervous fussiness.
enough in its way, which char
acterized the great German musician Won
Bulow, who had been in America q few
months before staS21 |
Hetook up his conductors baton as quiet |
ly as though at rehearsal, held it sus-
pended in the air fer a moment, gave one |
little twirl, and second later he and that |
splendid orchestra were sailing away upon !
a glorious sea of harmony and melody. Be |
fore five minutes had passed it was made |
plain to the audience that there was one |
soul in that orchestra, and that was |
Tschaiskowski's. Although his face was
turned away from the audience, yet there /
was revealed that subtle, und.finable mag
netlsm which makes great artist the
master of his instruments and his audience
he carried the orchestra through a glo-
'ious tempest of music, sometimes rivaling
.he thunders of the heavens in its power,
md then sinking so that it seemed to be
he lullaby of summer zephyr. And when
t was through he at first, not needing the
majestic applause of the audience, bowed,
ind with spoken word acknowledged to his
their perfect service Then he
urned with half surprised, half timid
ook to that great congregation which was
ending to him a tribute of magnificent &C
lain. They called him back and back
gain, so that he seemed overwhelmed,
why SO much of honor should
lave been given to him then.
He had scored what the authors call hit.
lis personal success had been even create er
han that which the playing of any of is
ausic before that day had caused, in
he week that he was in America he
yer and over again amazed by the j.
ences of personal popularity which ne
o him. One of the music publishers id
hat within month hundreds of thousa ds
f copies of Tschaiskowski's works re
Did, and the composer had received seve al
lost fsttering and pecuniarily valuable
Had he been at liberty he
ould have accepted engagements which
'ould have netted him 100000.
The writer met him in his rooms one ,
lorning shortly before he returned to Eu-
ope. He found the composer at his piano.
Lusical manuscript lay scattered all about. |
Russian samovar sent forth the fragrance ..
newly brewed tea, and tray containing 4.
] ;
re Russian custom which he had brought q.
ith him. He was as modest a man as had !
Ter achieved fame, and he spoke with both p.
le delight and the diffidence of a child of j.,
le joys of his experience in America. Then =.
1inting to his manuscript he said, Il am 7
Ist making notes of something which | =.
ope to write purposely for America, and .
hich will be first produced when come :
re again, for l am coming In two or three
,ars TO stay a long time"
But he is not coming. On Nov. ), meet
z party OF friends at dinner, he drank 0
me polluted water in ST. Petersburg and Q
ed sir hours later Of cholera, and the i
ath of no other European composer. ex- I
pting Gounod. could have occasioned such
despread grief in America as did that OF Q
+. J. EDWARDS. Il
Men We're Deceircrs Ever. !,
"John," said Maud, didn't you :,
H. 7