Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-24
4 nsreoa's FLUSH.


100, there appeared at the opening OF tne
.rr.at Music hall in New York city, when
Andrew Carnegie built and endowed,
comnoser of music who in his field bore .ne
same rank as John. Ruskin or Alexander
nnmas or Ralph Waldo Emerson did IN
that of literature, and who, in TACT, IN ms
musical writings suggested some OF .hs
srt;St;c traits which distinguished each OF
tl,oss. orreat writers. His name was tamil
;ar - mnsic lovers all over the world ana
he was an especial favorite in the United
States although but little was known OF
his personality. ut,
ua was Peter Tchaiskowski, Russian,
with the blood of the Czechs coursing
tbrouph his veins and making itself ieit
sometimes in his most vivid and impas
stoned music. An immense throng gain
cred in the Music hall. perhaps o,ooo per
CONS in all. Secretary Blaine was there
that he might witness the honors palu 10
his son.in-law. Walter Damrosch, who was
10 act as conductor of this musical ceremo-
NAL In fact, it was while attending TINS
distinguished celebration that Mr.. biS'ne
was smitten with that attack when was
even then portentous of mortality.
Youug Damrosch had invited Ichals'
towski to come to America and assist at
m
this opening of new home for music,
and the Russian, being delighted and nav
ING opportunity, promised to come TO con-
duct some of his own orchestral compost
lions and to write one piece specially Tor the
occasion. When it was announced that he
WIS TO come. American music lovers felt
as though a lion had been captured by Mr..
Da,nrosch. and many of them who live ID
,,a,,,,.. oit ;aS decided to be present that they
might see Tschaiskowski and hear some oil
his compositions as conducted by himself.
Tschaikowski was seen to be man OF
medium height and not OF great ana I'M
posing figure and of those beariike proper
tions with which Americans are apt men-
tally to picture the greatest OF the car
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 cars were all that
suggested his nativity. He bowed modest
", and it was then seen that he was with
out trace of those manners OF anectaiion'
self consciousness or vanity which have
characterized some great musicians, nor
did he have any of that nervous fussiness.
impressive enough in its way, which char
acterized the great German musician Won
months before.
Hetook up his conductors baton as quiet
" as though at a rehearsal, held it sus-
pended in the air for 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
80, hot
Tschaiskowski's. Although his face was
turned away from the audience, yet there
was revealed that subtle, undefinable mag
netism which makes Il great artist the
master of his instruments and his audience.
He carried the orchestra through glo-
rious tempest of music, sometimes rivaling
the thunders of the heavens in its power,
and then sinking so that it seemed to be
the lullaby of n summer zephyr. And when
it was through he Mt first, not needing the
majestic applause of the audience, bowed,
and with spoken word acknowledged to his
orchestra their perfect service. Then he
turned with half surprised, half timid
look to that great congregation which was
sending to him tribute of magnificent ac-
claim. They called him back and back
again. so that he seemed overwhelmed,
wondering why so much of honor should
have been given to him then.
lie had scored what the authors call hit.
His personal success had been even greater
than that which the PLAYING of any of his
music before that day had caused and in
the week that he was in America he was
over and over again amazed by the evil
dences of personal popularity which came
to him. One of the music publishers said
that withina month hundreds of thousands
of comics of Tschaiskowski's works were
sold and tbe comnoser had received several
.s':.: -, 40 ,;hor,y Lo