The morning call., 1895-03-03
TWO MUSICIANS.
"Reminiscences of Mendelssohn and
Schumann,

"reminiscences of Mendelssohn and
Schumann.
a German friend has sent me some in.
teresting personal recollections of Mendel-
ssohn and Schumann. As a boy he studied
under Mendelssohn at Leipsic. The great
composer was always very punctual at his
lessons. His pupils used to assemble in
the classroom before the hour had struck
and group of them would sometimes
gather at the window to watch the master
as he was making his way to the house.
When his step was brisk, his gestures
lively and, his head well erect the class
knew that he was in happy humor. If,
on the other hand, his step was slow and
his head slightly bent as he walked into
the room it was signal that some sorrow
or disappointment weighed upon him.
His pupils used to sit round the large
table in the middle of the room and Men
delssohn would take up their compositions
| one after another, criticizing them min
utely.
Mendelssohn was terribly badgered by
autograph-hunters. After having been
annoyed for weeks by a person of this kind
he took his album and wrote on an empty
page, "Und Gott schuf crosse Wallfsche"
(And God created great whales).
SGhumann was warm admirer OF the
works of Jean Paul, and used to say he
owed more to him than to any composer
of music. He also learned much from his
intercourse with Mendelssohn. They criti-
cized each other freely, but without mean
rivalry. Once Schumann refused to go for
a walk with his friend because he was COM
posing, and did not want to interrupt his
flow of inspiration. Some days afterward
Mendelssohn called on him and was asked
to examine the new composition.
"Ah, he said, with a smiling glance at
Frau Schumann, che would have done
better to take a walk with me the other
day" The passage was indeed much in
ferior to the rest of the composition, The
two great musicians were most sensitive to
sights put by outsiders on each others
honor. Schumann once left party in in
| dignation because some one had made
disparaging remark about Mendelssohn.
Both as a teacher and a conductor my
| friend considered Schumann inferior to
Mendelssohn. He could not make himself
so easily understood by his pupils, and
could express himself better in writing
than by word of mouth. He spoke little,
even when among his friends. In the even
| ing he was more communicative than in
! the daytime.
A friend who had not seen him for many
years wished to call on him. Schumann
replied: "You are welcome, but as a rule
| you will lind me very quiet. | can talk
| best in the evening, best of all at the
| piano" AS kapellme1ster Schumann
was less strict than Mendelssohn. At the
rehearsals he was considered too indulgent
and allowed serious mistakes to pass un-
! corrected. The movements of his con-
ductor's staff were frequently so uncertain
and vague that it was impossible to make
out what part of the bar was meant. Men,
| delssohn, on the contrary, used to rule the
! orchestra with magic wand. Every eye
! followed his guidance, every mind worked
| with his.
1t was a habit of Schumann to walk
about the room on tiptoe while composing,
as if he feared to break the silence. In the
streets his gait was slow and measured
and he was never known to be in a hurry.
| During the last years of his life he always
dressed in black, and with his tall hat was
often mistaken for a clergyman.-Woman
/ anG Home.