The record-union., 1894-04-20
A MUSICIAN GONE.

A Few Lines of Tribute to n Genius in
the Musical World.
The lovers of classical music and ad-
mirers of student masters in the art will
regret to learn that on Sunday last there
died in San Francisco Ernest Hartmann,
who has labored for thirty years in the
cause of music culture in California. 1t
is fitting that there should go on record
some tribute to this artist, who gave to
his art that devotion which is upheld
only by the most profound worship at
the shrine of art. Hartmann was re-
markable man, his personality was
unique, his talent the birth Of genius.
Older Sacramentans remember him well,
for many of them, lovers of classical
music and regretting the drift of the pop
ular taste away from the better standards,
have heard him III San Francisco fire.
quently. Lesley Martin, writing in the
Waoe, says OF Hartmann:
Real mental concentration and force,
such as was possessed by Mr.. Hartmann,
would have carried him to a distin-
guished position in any line of endeavor
he had chosen to adopt. His standing as
pianist with the public and wide fol-
lowing of private admirers has occupied
singularly distinct position, at all
times held indisputably higher than that
VI dUy OIDcI llluSICldU resi-
dent here. Won entirely and solely by
the exercise OF his talents, this position
rested uAon foundations sufficiently
solid to endure through all the local
fluctuations of feeling and partiallty
which are as uneven as the local tempera-
ture itself; how much lies behind this
statement only the thoroughly initiated
few will judge. An unbenGing will, in
capable OF anything but the plainest deal
QA bn
flippant even of dilettantes, forced the
ever unwilling recognition of the pro-
fession, and constrained the fullest recog-
milton by the outside public. Had MIR.
Hartmann cared to exercise the COM
pelling force which he possessed, in any
direction whatsoever, points he wished
to carry would surely have been gained.
AS it was, however, the bent OF mind lay
in applying to himself and all others
equally a searching criticism, leaving be-
bind it conclusions scarcely reversible.
Discussion of his work, method, and
value as an artist is, for obvious reasons.
impossible here the aim being to bring
public attention to the life work OF a
musician of rare character and individual
power, whose past influence was excep-
tional and to whom several develop
nents expected of the future will be
mainly due. Removing himself COM
pletely from ordinary professional life,
accompanied as it is almost everywhere
with details and incidents OF incompar-
able meanness and vulgarity, this pianist,
without ostentation, set an example of
reserve and dignity of which there is no
other instance.
"From j. c. Stadfeldt. for very many
years the pupil and friend of the late
Mr.. Hartmann, a few facts gatheredsat
long and rare intervals, and so lar not
published, are in place here. Develop
ing talent from infancy, the late Ernst
Hartmann took his first lessons from his
father, q musician of ability and pupil of
Hummel, at the age of 4, appearing in
public two years later. Moscheles be-
came his teacher later on, and at ID he
was submitted into the hands of Kullak.
After successful concert tour IN Ger
many, he came to New York at the age
of IS. After appearing in concerts with
the Philharmonic Society. he travelled to
Boston and Philadelphia, settling down
in the latter place. Here he taught with
wide success, and during the war gave
performance in aid of the hospitals which
raised the remarkable sum of $1,000, and
his services on this occasion were recog-
nlZed by handsome souvenir from the
City Of Philadelphia. Removing to Cali
fornia in 1864, the late pianist became inn
mediately the recognized leader of
musical intelligence, and his pupils
were drawn from the most sincere and
cultivated class of people. During recent
years his aversion to public perform
ances grew stronger, and his last ap-
pearance was made about year ago in
aid OF charity in the parlors of the Uni
tartan Church. OF an innatelv reserved
temperament the late Mr.. Hartmann per-
mitted himself few intimates, and with
them he was hospitality itself"