The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-02
The CAR UNMUSlCAL.
Aulocrat Of All the Russas is Totally Unlike His
Father and Ills Vile.

The other day an anecdote went the
round of the press that the Gar Mich
olas had sung several songs at fam
lily party. and had shown himself a
good tenor, OF which he was very
proud. The story was pleasant
enough, but untrue. The muse of
mucis was not present at his grth.
The Lokalanzeiger tells us that musical
evenings at which celebrated artists
take part are very rare at the court Of
the Czar now. The late emperor was
passionately fond of music, and was in
his youth an excellent performer on the
cornet and piston. Prof Wurm had
been teaching HIN for ten years, and
even to-day praises the zeal and tall
ent of his illustrious pupil says the
London News. When later on he be-
came so much occupied with govern
ment 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
&ass band OF about forty performers,
mostly officers, and begged the con-
ductor TO treat them all sans facon for
certainly otherwise nothing sensible
would come of II. At the head OF them
sat the Czar, his gigantice instrument
slung around him, and footed bravely
with the rest. At court balls IL
amused him 10 conduct personally
some bars of a waltz, especially when
his illustrious consort, who loved dane
ing pasionately, was enjoying herself.
All at once the music would come TO
dead stop in the middle of a wa q.
Everybody would look up startled. and
only the Empress would glance sml-
ingly at the gallery. She knew wbp
the rogue was who wanted To play her
a trick again.
The Dowager Empress. a br liant
pianist. had inherited the talent from
her mother. the late Queen of Dem
mark. and always zealously endeav-
ored 10 inspire her children with a love
for music. There was no want of ex-
cellent masters in St Petersburg at
that time. but alas the young grand
dukes and duchesses had little synipa-
thy for their mothers noble intentions.
All had To practice the piano. but they
did so UNIV llingly. AS the Car Alex
ander was an ardent admirer of Rich
ard Wagner, the music master OF the
heir 10 the throne gave himself the
greatest lTouDlc 10 leatn the idtlef
composition OF the Bayreuth master
as a surprise for papa. The wedding
march from "Lohengrin" was chosen.
i'm the easiest rearrangement that
coud be found. The appointed day ar
rived and the performance began but
praise there was none. II Is vhs-
pered, indeed. that just the reverse
was the case. There was only one
consolation for the Prince-that his
sisters and brothers did He- better,
In the meantime, Nikolai Alexandra
witch has become autocrat OF all the
Russas. But he has no special pre.
dilector for music. and his charming
young VI 'e will. in spite of her know
ledge OF IT. never instill IL into him. IL
Is stated that the Czar possesses
sympathetic terror voice. and often sur
prises his intimate friends. especially
i'm Livadia. by his songs, especially
French romances, which he sings with
great feeling. But all these are le-
gends. as are all the statements thar
he accompanies his own songs on the
piano. His yIing wife loves. and cul-
tivates with great intelligence. classi-
cal music. and among modern COM
posers, especially Brahms.