Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-08-07
MUSICAL GOUNOD.
How the Great Composer Aston
ished His Parents.
HE WON APPLAUSE OF HIS TEACHER
From the Time He First Heard an opera
al New World was opened
to Him.

Under the title of memoirs of an
Artist" the Revue de Paris publishes
In this months number the souvenirs
of Gounod. written with charm and
simplicity which make one overlook
the little tinge of egotism which runs
through the composition.
"Shortly after the death of my
father" he says, Sin the house which
was numbered then. as it is now, II
Place Saint Andre DIES Arts, or rather
'des Arcs my mother moved into
other apartments, not far from the Rue
des Grands Augustin. 1t is from this
period that my first recollection of
my musical impressions is dated.
my mother. who was also my
nurse. certainly made me swallow as
much music as milk. She never nursed
me without singing; and l may say
that took my first lessons uncon-
sciously, and without being obliged to
pay that painful attention to them
which is so difficult for children. In
this way l had already obtained a
clear and precise notion of the intona-
tions and intervals, of the first elements
characteristic difference between the
major and minor keys. even before I
was able to speak plainly. One day,
after hearing some beggar singing in
the street song in the minor key, /
said to my mother. Mamma. why
does he sing in the crying do?' My
ear was perfectly trained. and would
have been able to take place in a SOL
ia chorus.
proud of finding her baby as far
advanced as grown-up young ladies
in reading music-and that, thanks to
her-my mother could not resist the
desire of introducing her little pupil
to musician of some renown. At
this time there was professor named
Jadln, whose sou and grandson have
made q reputation in painting. This
Jadin was we'll known for his COM
positions, which were then in vogue,
and, if I recollect right, he played the
organ in the celebrated religious school
of music if Choron. My mother
wrote to him inviting him to come
and give me musical examination.
Jadin came to the house, turned my
face to the wall, sat down by the
piano. and commenced to improvse
succession of chords and modulations,
asking me at each incubation, In
what key am ~ / was never mis-
taken even once. Jadin was delighted.
and my mother was triumphant.
Poor, dear motherl She had no
idea then that she was developing in
her child the germs of determination
which was bound later on to cause her
considerable anxiety in regard to my
future-a determination that was also
influenced by hearing Robin de Bots.
at the Odeon, to which she brought
me when was six years old"
When later on Gounod was pupil
of the Lyceum Saint Louis. his pro
gress entitled him to an invitation to
the banquet of Saint Charlemagne,
and, as a recompense, his mother
promised to bring him to the Italians
to hear the "Otello" of Rossini sung
by Malibran, Rubini and Lablache.
The expectation of such pleas
ure." he said, made me half crazy
with impatience. / remember that it
took away my appetite, and at dinner
my mother said to me, If you don't
eat, understand me now, you won't
go to the Italiens.
Immediately commenced to eat
with resignation. Dinner was served
at an early hour, because our tickets
were not bought in advance, that be-
ing too costly, and consequently we
were obliged to stand in line in order
to get two places in the parterre at
francs 70 centimes each, which, for my
poor mother, was great piece of ex-
travagance. 1t was extremely cold,
and for nearly two hours my brother
and myself awaited, with balffrozen
feet, the moment SO ardently desired
when the line should commence to
move in front of the box Office. At last
we entered. l can never forget the
impression which 1 experienced. 1t
seemed to me that / was in temple,
and that something divine was about
to be revealed to me. The solemn
moment arrived. The three custom
airy taps were given; the overture was
about to commence. My heart began
to beat. / was delighted beyond
measure. The voices of Malibarp,
Rubini. Lablache, and Tamburini. the
latter playing Iago. and that orchestra
made me almost beside myself.
II left the place completely disgusted
with the prose of real life, and abso-
lutely installed in that dream of the
ideal which had become my atmos-
phere and fixed idea. l never closed an
eye that night l thought nothing
else. but making an Otello of my own.
Later on began to neglect my studies.
in order to have more time for my fav-
orite occupation, composition. the only
study that appeared to me worthy of
fixing my thoughts upon. 1t was
source Of many tears and much trouble.
My professor ON seeing me scratching
on music paper, came up to me one