The Washington times., 1895-02-27
FAREWELL TO ALL GAYETY
Close of the Season Typified at Mrs.
Hearst's Rococo Musicale.
Haydn's Famous symphony Played by seidrs
Orchestra-The Stetson- Fletcher and
Draper-Blair Weddings.

world, Washington society was waited
as if by magic last night. Away from the
prosaic present to the time OF romance,
OF music, and Of the picturesque. 1t was
as if the wand OF the enchanter had
passed over the gay world and exercised
the present when it stepped over the
threshold OF Mrs. Hearst's residence.
In the long list OF brilliant entertain
ments given in Washington there has
never been anything IL compare to the
rocco concert given last night at the
house on New Hampshire avenue, now SO
famous socially for tie splendid enter
plents by which the present season has
been marked. IN response to the invitations
to that effect the guests attended in cos
TUNES OF that picturesque period just
prior 10 the close OF the eighteenth cen
tury. At the doorway they were met by
servants costumed as Morocco slaves,
gorgeous in or imson velvet suits EN-
broidered in gold, their heads sllrmounted
by fantastic turbans of rich silken stuffs,
to appropriately carry out the idea OF
rocco entertainment in its minutest de-
ttails. Four OF the slaves conducted the
guests TO the music room where they We're
/ received by the hostess and Miss Florence
Bqyards daughter OF the United States
I ambassador 10 England, in whose honor
the entertainment was given as a farewell
compliment before her departure for
England
About the room were gilt and; brocade
( chairs arranged for the seating of the en-
tire company, The music room itself
was transformed for the occasion. From
the center. or the ceiling was canopy OF
pearl SATIN drapery, caught mp by rosy
cupid, has cheeks disteaded, blowing a
4 Fra Angelica trumpet This drapery
was caught on the confines Of the nln-
slclans balcony by other laughing Cupids
On tie front OF the balcony, which pro
+ Jected partly over the musicians on the
I main floor of the room, was a most effcc-
/ tive grouping Of musical Instruments
Tyre Lutte, violin, tambourine. and trumpets
standing forth amid garlands OF flowers
and an ihterlacing Of lovely ribbons ar
/ ranged with peep in and out effects
Seidl's Orchestra sat beneath this bal
cony. but not as the pubic is generally
wont 10 IqQk upon that ASSOCIATION of fine
J Inusicialis- The players, too, catching the
/ spirit OF the time that their music and en-
( vlronmenis represented. We're in costumes
/ ofgay coiGrs, with powdered AMI bcwigged
heads. as III the days when Joseph Haydn,
4 kapelime.Ster TO Prince EsteThazy, re-
/ ceived from his rbyatpatron the note stating
/ that on account Of weighty private reasons
he must from thiit time forth give up the
! private concerts that had rendered his
palace famous IN the music eenters of all
Europe
Like d painting by Fortuny or Menzer,
/ the orchestra sat, each nus.ciaa with his
candelabra in front, reflected over and
over again in tre rpcoco panels OF little
inlaid mirrors that, reaching from the
floor to the balcony! formed a background
for the scene rne IKE OF wiiichd Washington
/ audience had never before looked upon.
I and il is safe to presume viii never again
be duplicated iwthe present century. The
! entire room was a. gorgeous picture of
! tharmoniously blended colors.
! The programme was equally as unique
as the other portions OF the entertainment.
! Mime Lillian Baayelt was the soloist.
/ The closing number Was Haydn's famous
! Farewell symphony, y5
The triunph of the evening lay in the
rendering of this symphony, which was
i played in accordance with The historic
I account of that wonderful composition. 1t
+mill he remembered that upon receipt OF
! the note from Prince EsterhsZysIo Haydn,
abolishing 0e kapelle and doing away with
/ the services of the distinguished musician,
! the latter after deep thought decided
upon master stroke at the concert that
was TO mark the dissolll, ion OF that fine
company over which for twenty years he
( had welded the directors baton in the
! place of the prince. Mozart and Gtuck
were among the company of brilliantly
/ apparelled court beauties and galiants pres
! present at the final concert.
! Last night, as then, the scene was re
peated No account OF the present day
/ can equal that of historical record that
/ is a veritable poem:
Now rose the baton ofthe kapellmeister-
! the symphony began-and every heart in the
| audience beat loud and fast as if it, too
/ obeyed the wand OF the master.
Down through the night of earth life
were falling beams OF light, and those
beams were tones. Melodies glimmered
/ forth, ascending and descending upon those
1 streaming tones like angels.
The simple childlike strains touched
! the hearts of even those who had not that
| perfect s sympathy, which alone co I'D
! give them the key to Haydn's composi-
! tions. To them it was only a glimpse
I into momentary and fleeting paradise
Prince Esterhazy was touched beyond
/ expression. He was ready to repent
| his decision. His pride in his kapelle
! his love of art, his reverence of the great
/ composer all urged him to alter his de-
! cision. while the tones of the SYMPHONY
| struck like winged arrows TO his heart
! 1t needed all his self command to hold
/ his purpose.
But what is this? The drums are
/ silenced The young man who beat
them extingu ishes his Light before his
! stand and noselessly departs. 1t was
an unprecedented thing in the orchestra.
| What could it mean?
The music goes on. No one thinks
! further of the occurrence.
How now? The trumpeters also take
! their Instruments, eXtinguish their lights.
! and disappear. There is a little stir of
| surprise in the audience. Now one brass
| inst rument after another is hushed, other
.srIan
/ depart Still the symphony goes on, but
ever softer and fainter. The instruments
| become fewer, more lights are eXtingIished,
| il grows darker and lonelier in the ,rches-
| ira.
Now the bassoons are dumb their lights
! are put out, they disappear. The violon-
! cellos follow, then the double bass. And
| the first violin, alone in the dusky orches-
ira sobs forth its sorrowing tones. 1t is
| the swan song of the Kapelle-the masters S
farewell Fainter and further off dies the
wall ofthe solitary Instrument, then it, too,
is silent, its lights eXtniguished, its player
| has gone. 5
Now sits the master there alone The
stiffness of death relgns in the hall. One
can hear only his own heart beat
| Haydn silently laid down the baton he
! had welded so long and worthily, eXtin-
| guished his light also, bowed his head upon
| his breast, but at that moment burst forth
such storm o f applause, such as no concert
hall ever heard before. Bravo! bravo!
Haydnl' rang from every mouth. Every
| pair of hands were madly clapping, and in
many eyes the tears stood glittering where
tears were little used to come.
Prince EsterhaZy had quickly left his
| seat All his determination scattered to
! the winds by the beautiful conclusion of
| The Farewell symphony Fastening to
the musician, grasping him by both hands,
he cried Haydn, you shall remain, and