The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-09-01
SKELETON AND MUSICIAN.
HOW CHOpIN'S GRUESOME MUSIC
WAS COMPOSED.
The Hopeless Strains of the Funeral
March Inspired by the Bony Relic
of Moulding Humanity.

Under the heading "Chopin's S<el-
eton' the New York Herald is respon-
sible for the following rather grue-
some story:
1t was singular and yet eminently
fitting that Uhopin's famous Funeral
March should have been the principal
piece of music performed at the eX-
traordinary concert which was recent
ly held in the Catacombs OF Paris.
Eminently fitting because this
march was composed under gruesome
circumstances, and hence was appro-
pirate music for a ghostly and sub
terranean concert room. The strange
story of this march was told the 9TH
er day by Iiem, the painter, who was
an intimate friend of Chopin.
-Four of us were dining one even
ing" he said, "at the house of Paul
CheVandier de Naldrome, son of the
French peer, No. 80 Rue de la Tour
dAuvergne. Besides the master of
the house, there were Prince Edmond
de Polignac, Count de Ludre and my
self.
During a lull in the conversation,
/ went behind screen, and finding
there a skeleton, such as is often to
be found in studios, | amused myself
and my friends by placing the arms
in fighting attitude and then feign-
ing to have a regular boxing match
with it. The Prince de Polignac then
laughed heartily at my odd conduct,
and in turn, he, too, took hold of the
skeleton, and after making it perform
,;a f,,;. - l.
cluded by seating it at the piano. He
then placed the bony hands on the
keyboard and began to improvlse,
moving the lifeless fingers from note
to note.
Meanwhile we had put out the light
and stopped talking, with the object
of enjoying to the utmost the weird
music, which seemed to come from a
far away tomb. Suddenly the silence
was broken by three loud knocks! We
were greatly startled and knew not
what to think, when a lamentable
voice exclaimed, God of my fathers,
do not forsake mel The tone was so
piteous that we burst out laughing
We recognized Paul's voice, and we
fancied that he was joking. In mo-
ment, however, we discovered that he
was trembling. OF course that put a
stop to our fun. We lit the lights and
the Count de Ludre then explained
that he was responsible for the three
loud knocks. He had been lying on
a sofa, and clearly to brighten us had
struck his foot three times against
the wood work.
"The skeleton was placed once more
behind the screen. and nothing furth-
err would have been heard of our far
cical conduct had not the genius of
Chopin brought it into unexpected
prominence. He called on me some
time afterward. intending to rest him
self for a few hours in my company.
He was very gloomy and he explained
that he had passed terrible night in
combating a host of uncanny spectres
who had threatened to do him all sorts
of mischief.
Chopin was an extremely imagin-
ative man, and was constantly being
haunted with morbid ideas. His very
strange story reminded me of my ev-
ening at Paul Chevandier's, and I
told him about it. He shivered as he
heard me, and then his eyes turned to
piano, which l had expressly bought
for his use. Have you a skeleton?'
he asked. ! said that | had not but
that | would procure one during the
evening. | invited Paul Chevandier lie
Valdrome and my friend Ricard the
painter, to dine with me that day and
during dessert ] told Chevandier of
Chopin's desire. He at once sent his
servant to fetch the skeleton, and. af-
ter dinner. we went through the same
performance that had frightened Che.
vandier so much on the previous occa.
sion. This time. however. thanks &c
Chopin's inspiration. the performanc,
was no farce. On the contrary. il
was great. terrible and infinitely sad