The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-14

abroad was Hector Berliolz, and under his
directions he made his first public appear
ance in Paris in 1915. There followed eight
years of travel In Switzerland and Spain.
where through his concerts he acquired a
European reputation before returning to
his native land He was tail and slender of
form. Wavy hair covered his forehead.
His complexion was olive. His eyes, deep
aud dark shone like stars. A personal APP
pearance such as this captivated the cul-
tured women who thronged his concerts
and did much to advance him toward fame.
He played, as n rule, his own compositions.
What they lacked I'm vigor and force ne
covered by a dreaminess and sensuous
quality that appealed TO the popular taste.
He arrived in Boston in 1853, heralded as
the only premier Of the plano of his age,
and In his first public concert there he
was almost carried from the stage by his
rapturous audience. The newspapers, for
getting the nativities Of his father and
mother, teemed with glowing articles on
the browning of the first real American
pianist" to be produced. The Gottschalk
style of wearing the hair, of lingering the
piano, of modulating the voice In CONVEX
saton, all had its craze in those days be-
fore the ruin and desolation of ciVil war
Gottschalk went from Boston to New
York and then visited other American
cities, in all of which he was received with
acclaim. Strange assertion of a critic of
those times:
I'VE shall never see his like again. Mas
terry Of harmony such as he possesses can
Moreau, thou art the beginning and the
end"
To-day his music Is comparatively I'M
known. If occasionally revived 1t is
only by those who would not wholly sever
To-day from Yesterday.
Gottschalk came to Santiago. His musl-
cal tours led him into Mexico and South
balnlr
passonately fond OF It's climate. At San
tiago he was received by the Spanish
grandees with every honor. A nobility of
Spain resided there at that time which
our soldiers viii find only traces OF now
Soldiers of fortune and fame and women
of the proudest blood Of CASTLE and Ara
gon made Santiago then a greater social
center than Havana. Every door was
thrown open to Gottschalk. His manners
his blood, his dreams were In close affinity
with the rainbow chasing Spaniard. At
one of the homes where he was received
he met a Nine. S., whose fun name
has never been revealed to the world The
statement has been made that Gottschalk
/ never mentioned her name after the in
| cident occurred which this story relates.
| This much is known. that she was VIC
| tim OF an incurable malady and that the
! approximations Of Gottschak brought to
! her tortured mind great relief. He was
/ welcomed to her home, and there evening
! after evening he sat in the Cuban twilight
and gave the best of himself to her
! through the piano one night In particu-
! lar he found her extremely restless. Pain
seemed 60 touch every fiber Of her body.
| She knew as he did not that the end
! was near. She said to him while his
| hands ran idly over the keys:
MY dear Moreau, improyise something;
give me something for myself, for my
soul"
srtn ,Drayor % that qad ,yoioa mas ann
! Client From where he sat the musician
| could see the shadows of night falling
| over the bay now made famous by Schley
and Cervera. The aftermath was fading.
/ He played as those who know the work
! say he could never have played before,
and when the last note was struck 1.-THE
| Last Hope" was a creation.
Gottschalk the next day passed into the
| interior of the province of Santiago on his
! concert tour. He was gone but short
/ time. When he returned, on passing a
! cathedral in the city he noted a funeral
| cortege about to depart. He made care
| less inquiry as to who had died, and the
! answer was
Mime. s."
! profund melancholy came upon him,
/ during which he committed to manuscript
! "The Last Hope" once or twice he play
| ed Il I'm public but memory was too cruel
| to permit much OF this. Upon those who
are fond OF emotional compositions which
| seem 10 speak the language Of the soul
| the piece fastened itself as something new
! er to be forgotten. Probably not musi-
| cal home in Chicago could be found now
/ in which the composition Is ever rendered,
although 1t is 10 be found in some Of the
/ best old music folios OF fifteen years ago.
Gottschalk left Santiago and passed on
/ to Buenos Ayres and Montevideo. where
| he gave concerts. Later he came to Rio
/ Janeiro where he gave many concerts and
/ planned a musical festival, which COM
/ menced In November, 1869. On the second
evening Of this festival, while playing one
/ Of his own compositions, Ia Mort" he
was taken ~ Instant removal to Tljuca
| did not relieve him. for he died In short
! time. Before his death he had been dec
GRATED with the cross of the Legion OF
Honor sand the Order of Isabella of the
! Catholic. Old and staid citizens will re-
member him as contributor to the At
lantic Monthly.