The San Francisco call., 1897-12-26

H..
described as an autobiography, COM
bined with an episodical record of the
Continental concert and operate stage
for the past fifty years, or rather with
those musical events with which the
madame had to do. One seeks in the
volume with only scant and occasional
satisfaction derived from little flashes
here and there that gossip Of the inner
life of the great artists and composers
of the two generations past which it's
pages should contain.
Nine. Marchesi is very distinguished
and anliable woman who stands in the
light of q mother to the modern lyrical
stage. She is a native of Frankfort,
Germany, and married when quite
young an Italian barytone, who subse-
Quently deserted the concert hall TO be-
come teacher like herself. Her talents,
Of such an order as to gain her first the
applause and then the friendship of the
most celebrated composers and singers,
tmpelled her more to the classroom than
the footlights The better part of her
life, therefore, has been spent in teach
Ing at the conservatories of Vienna and
Paris. OF later years she has been mis-
tress of the Ecole Marchesi, the fame of
which is well earned. Her renowned
pupils, drawn from Russia Hungary.
Germany, Austria, Italy, France and the
United States, are legion. Among them
are Antoinetta Fricci, Caroline Dory,
lima dt Murska, Gabrielle Krauss
Fraulein Hoffman, who married the
Archduke Henry of Austria. Hedwip
Schuerlein, Louise Radeke. Caroline
Smenoschi, Anna d'Angeri, Clementina
Proska, Gerster, Amelia Stahl, Nevada,
Calve, Eames and AIelba
Nine. Marchesi, besides, counted as
patron and friend every great com
poser of the fifty years past. Still, with
all this world of genius and individual
lty TO draw on, with a symposium Of
SUBJECTS of enduring interest to human
fty TO sketch. she has given US only
the meagerest glimpses of the charac-
1erlsuc traits and habits Of her inti-
mates and the masters. to enjoy which
we have TO pick over dreary mass Of
natterinS musical autographs and mo-
notonous wanderings of the first person
singular
Ihere is one fncandescent flash Of witty
apprec1auveness. The madame has been
mghIy honored by Kings and societies
|lth medals and insignia of greatness.
once she made a presentment of them
on her bosom. The occasion was a re-
-ception at the Austrian Embassy in
farls AS she stepped into the glare of
the salon she records that lady re-
marked to another: '"Those are medals
Tor having saved peoples lives; that ladz-
must be good swimmer"
OF Wagner's personality we learn Moth
lhg. MendeIsSohn was q loving husband
and an excellent father. He preferred
MozaFts music, and was first-rate or
ganist That is all. Yet Mendelssohn
was the madame's first patron. Oh, yes:
ne detested the French capital. mo true
ana right feeling for art exists at Paris ,,
said he once, "for there everything is
sacrificed to effect" As to the wonderfI,I
GARCIA, her own and Jennie Lind's teach
er' ne used to tell his young pupil that
rachel, also studying with him at the
time, was so passionately in love with
MIN that she was in the habit of writing
his studio.
Liszt loved italian music, particularly
that OF Rossini. He was a warm and in
defattgable champion of Wagner. and in
tolerant Of contradiction, even where art
was concerned.
At Rossini's home IN Florence it was
neither interesting nor pleasant. There
was never any music, nor was the sub
Ject ever mentioned. Later, while the
master was at Paris, it transpired thai
he was great epicure. I'VE often
caught him in his bedroom, his favorite
room says the madame, surrounded
with saucepans of all kinds, and cooking
his food over a spirit lamp"
berhoz was so terribly prosecuted. par-
tlcuIarly in his own country, that he was
hardly ever known to smile. His cop,,ar-
sation bore the stamp of an en,bit+e,,a5
mind and saddened heart He was ex-
tremeiy reticent in his opinion about
music Of the piano Titan, Rubfnstein
we get no idea, except that he was
brusque and patriotic.
Hitler was an excellent pianist: n re-
hlarhaDIe composer; witty, amiable
man of the world, as fascinating in bic
he
pIeaslng' in his writings. He wes chart
table IN his judgment of other n,uslcians
though very bitter against Liszt. with
whom he quarreIed over Wagner To
madame could never see in Meyerbeer the
repcent' repeiling manner of which 50
many complained. She evidently had no
sympathy with the epigrammatIc ar
NIFTY Heine recorded against that worthy
composer.
The family of Nine. Marchesi and that
OF Verdi have been on terms Of the clos
est intimacy for years, relations estab-
hshed through the marriage of one of her
pupils to the Italian master Respect
Ing the recent success of "Falstaffv at
Paris she writes: MY happiness. on this
occasion can easily be imagined, as to
spend an evening in Verdis society has
always been great delight, and that
evening it was with deep interest that
watched the play of his mobile features
expressing as they did every passing SEN
sation as he listened to his own music.
he tried to be calm, but the slightest
hesitation on the part Of the orchestra
or a singer made him start from his
chair, in spite of all his efforts Between
the acts it was one uninterrupted series
Of congratulatory visits, that of Am
broise Thomas being the most touching
1or the two illustrious old men locked
themselves in one long embrace"
Although the madame praises MeIba as
the greatest living singer, she tells us
most about Krauss, of whom she speaks
as a gifted and tireless worker 1t is
plainly the development, the transfor-
nation of this pupil she admres Krauss
was delicate and tinid; in fact, so diff
dent and shrinking that her acting was
for long time despaired Of. In the end
she became as great an actress as she
was a singer, gaining finally at Paris the
title of La Rachel Chantante''
The following sketch Of Patti is moro
to the life and refreshing:
I was sitting at my piano, surrounded