The evening times., 1899-04-22
IMPERIAL MUSICIANS.
rhe Present CHar of Russia Not n
Singer of Songs.


Berlin Correspondence London News)
The other day an anecdote went the
round of the press that the Car Nicholas
had sung several songs at family party.
and had shown himself a good tenor, of
which he was very proud. The story was
pleasant enough. but untrue. The muse
Of music was not present at his birth. The
"Lokaianzeiger" tells us that musical even
ngs at which celebrated artists take part
are very rare at the Court of the Gar now.
The late Emperor was passionately fond of
music. and was in his youth an excellent
performer on the cornet a piston. Prof.
Wurm had been teaching him for ten years.
and even today praises the zeal and the
talent of his illustrious pupil. When later
on he became so much occupied with gov
ernment business, he had to give up his
favorite instrument, as he had no time to
practice. But we won't give up music
quite" he remarked to Prof Wurm. Now
shall choose the great sax tuba
He founded his own brass band of about
forty performers, mostly officers, and beg
ged the conductor to treat them all sens
facon, for certainly otherwise nothing sen
sible would come Of 1t. At the head of
them sat the Gar, his gigantic instrument
slung around him, and tootled bravely with
the rest. At court balls it amused him to
conduct personally some bars of a waltz,
especially when his illustrious consort, who
loved dancing passionately, was enjoying
herself. All at once the music would come
to a dead stop in the middle of waltz.
Everybody would look up startled. and
only the Empress would glance, smilingly.
at the gallery. She knew who the rogue
was who wanted to play her trick again.
The Dowager Empress, brilliant pian-
ist. had inherited the talent from her
mother. the late Queen of Denmark. and
always zealously endeavored to inspire her
children with a love of music. There was
no want of excellent masters in st. Peters,
burg at that time. but. alas, the young
grand dukes and duchesses had little SYM
pathy for their mothers noble intentions.
All had to practice the piano. but they did
so very unwillngly. As the Gar Alex
ander was an ardent admirer Of Richard
Wagner. the music master of the heir to
the throne gave himself the greatest trou-
BILE to teach the latter a composition OF
the Bayreuth master as surprise for papa.
The wedding march from "Lohengrin' was
chosen, in the easiest rearrangement that
could be found. The appointed day -arriv-
ed and the performance began, but praise
there was none. 1t is whispered. indeed,
that Just the reverse was the case. There
was only one consolation for the Prince
that his sisters and brothers did no better
In the meanwhile Nikolai Alexandra
witsch has become Autocrat Of All the
Russias. But he has no special predilec-
tion for music, and his charming young
wife will. in spite Of her knowledge Of 1t,
never instill 1t into him. 1t is stated that
the Gar possesses a sympathetic tenor
voice, and often surprises his Intimate
friends, especially in Livadia. by his songs
especially French romances. which, he
sings with great feeling But all these
are legends, as are all the statements that
he accompanies his own songs on the pi-
ano. His young wife loves and cultivates
with great intelligence classical music.
and, among modern composers. especially
Brahms.
Among the. near relations Of the Car
there is many an excellent musician The
Grand Duke Constantine Is poet and