New-York tribune., 1896-05-24

@ef'q egef haa ahR he 's isOaeht t Was well s6yfd 4
Emile lie, RS OF wnSS9 nee' next
turned o. his life s snd IN Hf s armS Sns and ID
TaSsved his s ess from She OF his
and was still boy when he ran away to teiis, ,ho
90 seT asi o s m ia ser & howSver being no
sician himself, summoned him home and smut MN I'm
and finally his parent consented 70 his retuTnms nm 10
the capital to continue his musical s,udes am an od
music master named Savard. who assisted him IN IN
Of his success ess in later years At this time he
earned his living by giving lessons at two francs
he fe caed Hed him The greatest JOY ever felt in my
lie" he said was when saw his son Snter my my
ton to him as his father paid 10 me. and he ga
honor to his name. for he IS now musician OF the
Questioned as to his method Of working. he SAD;
ocEv Ii ana ne9pe are as:onished to see me pro-
duce an opera every year, but thsy iorf't TOY TOY
in the morning and do not leave my desk I'LL
breakfast, that is to say at noon Reckon how many
duty does eaA - The CoaseGyatore ,- dyc re-,
You attend all the rehearsals. YOU make every
M singer go hough p his KDeh Part Ted When t o WG re
sleeping And this is the case. 1t Is. therefore
H9ar H9 apd Sh4 q e he truth s am very
fond OF work-that is the secret. | begin 70 work
me some time 10 get it there. Perhaps four or five
months Everything must, be in good I,2 WORKING eng
set to work rapidly. without the smallest correc-
tion being necessary in fact have only TO copy
what | have in head"
M&ssenet, It may be ADDED works TIt2 methOd 0d
or elsewhere. he rises at daybregk, and from this
becoming attached to some historical or legendary
figure, which is almost always that OF Woman nan
and dreams night and day OF II. Al this moment
the lbrettst comes on the scene. ard The opera Is
discussed Here the composer may be said 70 pass
through three phases, which are invariaole-tae
first !: that OF enhnsiasm the second uneasness
these changes Of mind he chooses his subject He
determines the general outline Of IT, and fixes the
accomplished and he can set to writing the opera
Here 1t is said he has no rival, ms science; dex-
terity, and technical resources being prodl2ouS
He is very sensitive. At times he Is, fun Of hope
at others he is almost desraring His work does
his memoirs which filled 100 pages, and then threw
them into the fire. because they did not satisfy
him He also wanted 10 burn mis- manuscript scores
but his wife prevented him; 81. ,......,..,...
sources Try to vary. my subjects Mancn same Gam
escape from one centre to plunge into another
in order to change the cur current Of my IDEAS: Ihis
however. IT is not difficult to see that they all come
Massenet may be described as charmer., His
wit and gayety are inexhaustble and although
Eost roche OF enemies he IA. none and If he had
few minutes conversation with him would convert
them He is particularly complainant He receives
almost as many letters as Minister. End always
answers them by return post. lie showed his corre-
spondence for the month OF April: it comprised
three large packets, all classified and tied up with
ribbon Sometimes a lady, making abuse Of his
Kindness will send him album, and ask him 70
compose piece OF music for her. and he fails
to lot down notes TO please her. a friend
saws Of him. IL sometimes irrtated by his ex-
cess OF sensitiveness. but soon he turns his
back I see only his merits, and forget his defects"
Since writing the above, learn that Massenet has
had an interview with the Minister of the Fine
Arts who offered him the post vacant at the Con-
servatoire. but he asked for time TO consider the
cept 1t.