The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-05
Anecdotes of Musicians.
From the London STANDARD.


Like Mozart. Beethoven was phenom-
ena. extemporizer One day, after quin-
tet by Steilbert had been performed, he
placed the violoncelli part upside down ON
his desk, and from a suggestion it thus
presented drummed with one finger 'sub~
ject'' from which he evolved such per-
Torrance that before it was over Stell"
belt his rival, had fed the scene, and
avoided him afterwards. On the occasion
of his first appearance as pianist he per-
formed his first concerto in c major, which
was finished in a great hurry on the pre-
vious afternoon. At the concert he dis
covered that the piano was a half-tone
fiat, but this did not seem to disconcers
him much, for he settled the matter by
playing in c sharp-a great feat, perform
ed also by Brahms in like circumstances,
in connection with the "Kreutzer Sonata"
Scores of such anecdotes attach to the
memory of this truly great maestro, Bee"
thoven. A characteristic account Is given
of the Eroica, or Third Symphony. Com
posed in 1904, it had it's origin in his admir-
alton for Napoleon whom he looked on as
a model of republican virtue. His design
was TO call it the Bonaparte symphony,
when the news came that the first consul
had made himself an emperor. The dedi-
cation was destroyed in rage, to be re-
placed by the following titles: "Sinfonia
grand uomo'
OF Wagneriana there are volumes. That
is an entertaining story anent his visit
to Vienna, when Count Won Beust dined
him. The chancellor was warned that
Wagner was to be serenaded by the Prus-
sian party, and political considerations
made it desirable to avoid a demonstrations
but Wagner could not be got rid of. So
the chancellor suavely interested the
great musician in autographs, and by sim
ulated accident turned up a revolutionary
and firebrand document which Wagner
had signed in 1S4S There was no sere-
made, for Wagner departed the next day.
How cruel was fate towards him in 1859,
when the Princess Metternich Influenced
the emperor, who ordered the mounting
of "Tannhauser" on a scale of extraOrd-
mary magnificence, al a cost of 5000 A
cabal was organized by the Jockey Club
in opposition to the opera on the ground
that 1t had no ballet, and it only survived
Chree performances.
List was the subject of many after
dinner stories. When in Russia, it is said,
playing before the emperor and empress,
the former conversed in a rather LOUD
tone. List suddenly stopped, and, bow
ing to the emperor, said: "Sire, when the
king speaks, all should remain silent"
The car did not relish this rash mot, and
List was handed his passports the next
morning
Some interesting things are recorded OF
Mozart who, like Mendelssohn and Bee
thoven, was great in improvisation. At
party of musicians one day he invited
Madame Nicias, the vocalist of his day, to
suggest a theme, which she did, and from
the refrain she sang he evolved brilliant
and charming fantasia. jain, in his Life
mentions that when as a child he extem-
porized a song on the word "Perhdo." he
became very excited, struck the claver
like one possessed, and several times
sprang up from his seat. After rehearsal
of his "Idomeneo" a writer says the oboe
and horn players went home half crazy"
so delightful. to the musicians was Mo-
zarts music; while during the rehearsal
of lie Nozze di Figaro" when Benuccl
was singing mon piu andral,' the orr
chestra and listeners were all at the same
moment so excited and enthusiastic over
it that they rose as Zone man, crying
Bravo, bravo, maestro; viva, viva.
grande Mozart" When the composer OF
the immortal Twelfth Mass produced his
"Entfuhrung aus dem Serail' In 1852 the
Emperor Of Austria expressed the opinion
that 1t was too fine for our ears, my dear
Mozart-too many notes!' To which Mo-
Fart replied, Exactly as many notes az
are required, your majesty"