The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-09

In consequence they are willing to
obey him. His capacity In this line
wss . feature specially noted BY
those Vienna critics who assisted
ct the seAsagsals Of "Cavallsria
Rustieaua, = end q he's excitsd the sdmi-
ration u his ffiend and musical rival, Al
berto Franchstti, who, few evenings ago
at Comedies, 1smafked that he wished he
could put his operas on the stage in the
same manner - 1ascAgni No doubt his
long appearance with the company OF
Opsrette, Of which he vas the orchestral
director, has helped 70 develop this ma
turai gifG The poor little scratch COM
pany with which he Wa associated % long
were - ignorant that many Of them were
unable svsa - ssAd music. and merely
Aang % By eaR % that he had 70 teach
them every detail Since his success he
has gained In sslfassurancs. and hence
this faculty has become refined and per-
fsctsd. Today Pistro Mascagni imposes
his will and his opinions even upon
the elderly sxecutants Of the Pergola or.
chsstra, men who have no mean opinion
Of their own capabilities - well % on
the celebrated and proved sing
ers who execute his opera, and
who readily accept his suggestions
because they recognize that he knows
thoroughly well what he 10 doing, Indeed.
II needfut. Mascagni can show them how
they should do. he can play on every In
strument, and thus can give them practi-
cal illustrations OF how the music should
BE- interpreted. He will sing the phrases
~ he feels them himself, a. he has thought
them out. and - he wishes them to BE- re-
produced. and though he has no voice to
speak OF. he manages to give such . char
acter to his singing that the singers are
willing to follow his lead.
All Europe and America has rung with
the tame of Mascagni, and legends have
been created around his name. He has
become almost myth, and this Is really
unjust TO the young man. who, notwith-
standing oil the enthusiasm. oil the talk,
all the animated musical wars he has
reused. remains as serene and impossible
- he was i've years ago. conserving his
character OF bnon rogasso. IS they Say in
l ..slSy. ,, INA. 10 70 cay. an sasy,soing
friend Of his boyish friends, and is
exactly the same with them as he was
before the aureoie Of celebrity shone
round his head. Nor does he pose With
new acqusintances he 10 simple and frank.
aud gives himself no airs of genius In
appearance he is tall and slender. and his
entirely heardiess face makes him look
even younger than he Is. The only artis-
tic sign about him Ia that he wears his
hair rather long, but otherwise in looking
snperhcsstiy ~ the young man no one
would suppose him 10 be ANYTHING ont OF
tho common more scratiniring glance,
however. shows Us that out of his face
shine two very penetrating and clever
eyes. eyes that reveal his genius and his
musical capacity. They are gray and fun
Of life and sparkle. When in Florence,
where he comes very often, for ii is only
two hours distance from his home which
10 ~ Leghorn, Mascagni taxes up his
abode in quiet. sscond-class hotel, the
Hotel Cavour. where he puts up in room,
prolonged. he 10 surrounded by his wife
and little children, whom ohs sdores.
and 90 whom he dedicases ali his
spare time. He II fond Of sleep
ing late in the morning hours.
bat then he goes TO bed very late,
indeed. for after returning home
from the cafe he generally sits down 20
dustrioua When composing. he first
sketches ont In his mind the whole plan
of his work aud he then rvhearses IL to
himself and correets it on the piano. hus
he never puts down q line on paper until
The whole musical phrase 10 clearly de-
finei IN his head, and before he hears IL
mentally. Ttas long before line of 'sTae
sAnixsu" had b%en thrown npon the
paper. Aasoasni carried the whole OF the
osrefs ia his head, aud VAS able to play
the chief portions cf the work upon the
riSao- In consequence Of the extraorti-
nary yelocity Vita which he writes he
vas threatened rear ago with nerv-
Gas maisdy at his rigat arm. To correct
This he Was ordered 10 play billiards in
order that his arm maghs have other
exercise. aud he may therefore De seen
tor hours AZ the billiard table evidently
thinking ners Of his music saen OF tae