The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-20
WIT OF COMPOSERS.
ANECDOTES WHICH SHOW THE Pc
cULIARlTIES OF THE MASTERS.

They Were Not Generally AmiabIe Critics
OF Each Other-Comments That Were
Usually Caustic and Frequently Brutal.
RossinIs witticisins.
Never surely was composer more witty
than the master who gave us an immor-
tal setting of William Tell.i' Rossini's
whimsicality extended even to his birth
day. Having been born in leap year, on
Fep ~, he had OF course, a birthday only
once In four years, and when he was 72 he
facetiously invited his friends to celebrate
his eighteenth birthday. Some of the best
specimens of his wit were shown In con-
noction with brother composers "You
Know, be said one day, speaking to a
friend-"you know what pretty dance
tunes Amber has always written"-Auber
being as likely to write dance tunes as
hossini WAS TO write sermon. The mae
stro seldom went to the opera or to any
place Of amusement, but he could not re-
sist the temptation of hearing one of Wag-
ner'swoIks. IL was "Tannhauser" After
ward, when asked to give his opinion of
the opera. he said: cit is too Important
and too elaborate work to be judged aft
er a single hearing, but 50 far as am con-
cerned, l shall not give it second"
Upon amateurs no was especially severe.
A few days after Meyerbeer's death
young admirer Of his called upon the COM
poser OF william Tell' with an elegy
which he had written in honor Of his idol.
well, said Rossini, after hearing the
composition played over, "if you really
want my honest opinion, i think it would
have been better II you had died and Mey-
srbeer had written an elegy." Sometimes
the amateurs would endeavor to bribe him
into compliment by sending him a little
present. The ruse, however, was but sell
dom efectual. A budding composer once
accompanied his new composition with a
Stilton, hoping, Of course, to have letter
praising the work. The letter came, but
all it said was: "Thanks. 1 like the cheese
very much"
Rossini's witticisms indeed bubbled
forth at all times and under all circum-
stances. On one occasion a gentleman
called upon him to enlist his aid in procur-
ing for him an engagement at the opera.
he was drummer, and had taken the
precaution TO bring his instrument. Ros-
sini said he would hear him "play," and
AZ was decided that ne should show of in
fhe overture to "Semiramide The very
hrst bar of the overture contains tremoio
for the drum, and when this had been per-
formed, the player remarked, "Now have
n rest Of 78 bars; these, of course, will
skip" This was too good chance to be
lost. "Oh, no." said the composer; "by
all means count the 78 bars. particular
ly wish to hear those
Some of these anecdotes of Rossini re-
mind Ms that composers, as rule, have
not figured amiably as critics of each
ether. Handel sworc that Gluck knew no
moro about counterpoint than his cook;
Weber pronounced Beethoven a madman
and Haydn said Of u brother musician that
''he played the fiddle like hog" Liszt
was particularly severe upon fellow art
lists Some one was once playing to him
. composition he evidently did not care
for. what is thatv' he asked. "It Is
Benefits Maid Of Orleans sonata, /" was
the reply. "Ah," said the virtuoso, "what
pity that the original manuscript did not
meet with the same fate as Joan" In this
connection good story is told of the late
Victor Masse. He was informed one day
that rival composer took every opportu-
nifty Of declaring that his (Masse's) music
was execrable. "He maintains have no
talent" said Masse; II always declare he
has plenty. We both know we lie" But
perhaps better than this was the opinion
Of Wagner expressed by Offcnbach. Wag-
ner had just published his "Rienzi," and
off went a copy to Offenbach, with re-
quest that he would say what he thought
Of it. Now Offenbach had previously read
some of Wagner's poems and had made
fun of them, a circumstance well known
10 Wagner. After some three weeks the
fcorc of "Rienzi' was returned to its com
poser with slip on which was written,
dear Wagner, your music is trash; stick
to poetry" This of course enraged Wagner
greatly, and some months later he was out
with one of his celebrated brochures de
nouncing the Jews. II was fine opportu
nifty for revenge Oflonbach being an Is
raelite--and the brochure was in the hands
Of Offenbach in no time. Two days elapsed,
and Wagner had the pamphlet back.
When he opened il, this is what he found
written on tho front rage, Dear Wagner,
your brochure is rot; stick to music. ~
Haydn was a great adnIirer of the fair
sex, and some of his prctticst things were
said about women. One specimen must
suffice. The celebrated Mrs. Ellington
was groat friend of his, and Sir Joshua
Reynolds had painted her portrait. Haydn
went to sec tho picture when it was fin
ishcd. "Yes, he said TO the artist, lit is
very good. But you have made one mis-
take. You have painted Mrs. Ellington
listening TO the angels, whereas the angels
SHOULD DO listening to her
Bcrlioz, the eminent French composer
had caustic wit He could not endure
Bach, and he used To call Handel "a big
hog," a musician of the stomach" For
this no was paid out by Mcndelssohn, who
declared that after touching n score c&
Berlioz soap and hot water were neces
sary. Bcrlioz, however, had his musical
hero, and that hero was Beethoven. Touch
Beethoven irreycrcntly and his ire was
kindled. There is certain passage for
the double basses in one of the masters
scores which was at one time believed to
be almost impossible Of execution. Now
Habcneck conducted performance of this
work in Paris and gave the passage in
question to tho cellos. Bcrlioz, who was
present, met Habencck soon after, and
asked him when he meant tn give the pas
sage as Beethoven intended it to be given.
.sNovcy. lopex ..u n 1.-Two - said Habcucck.