Hutchinson gazette., 1900-08-09
GOUNoD WAS DETERMINED.
The Great Composer showed Ills
characteristics In Childhood,

characteristics In Childhood.
Sometimes II happens that even In
childhood characteristics nre manifest
that Indicate whnN occupation or pro-
fession the child will adopt for life
work In Inter yenrs, Thus Charles
Francois Gounod, the great French
composer, determined to be muslcl-
an In early childhood, and in spite Of
parental opposition and many induce
ments 10 make him adopt another pro.
fesslon, In the following sketch,
which he wrote shortly before HIS
death, the composer tells how he be.
came composer.
] was thirteen years old and was q
pupil NJ the Harcourt school, My
mother, poor widow, was obliged TO
work hard for her living, and had to
trudge through snow and sunshine in
order to obtain the means for her
children's education. She had destn.
ed for me university career, where
as | ever heard an enticlng voice say.
ing You must be musician
One day ] told my mother about
my hearts desire,
"Are you in earnest? she asked,
"'Hcs, in dead earnest
"And you will not 80 to the uni
versity"
Never
"'Where will you go then|
"'ro the conservatory
ut was now her turn to say Never
II seemed fated then that | was TO re-
main at the llmcourt school until
had finished my studies, and that IL
misfortune still dogged my footsteps
at that time ! would have to become
soldier.
"My dear mother | finally said,
Il will stay at school II you wish it,
but one thing am determined ON, and
that Is that | never will become n sol
der
"'Do you mean that you will not
obey the law which calls for military
servicc?'
"'No; hut mean that the law will
he a dead letter so fur rs / am con.
cerned,'
"'What do you mcnn?'
Il mean that will win the "PrX
de Rome" which will free me from
the necessity Of becoming Il soldier
MY mother then abandoned the
idea of trying to make me change my
mind. She decided however, to lay
the matter before Father Picrson, my
school principal, That jolly gentleman
summoned me aud began in father.
ly tone of voice: so, my little fellow,
we are going to spend our life among
musicinnsp
"Nes, Mr.. Person.
"'lut music, is that n professon?'
"'Whnt about Mozart, Mcyerbeer,
Weber, Rossni? Didn't they have
professionY
"rhe good principal was somewhat
taken aback, and replied hastily: Obi
Mozart, that is a different matter al.
together, lie gave proof of genus
when he was only your uge But youl
what can you do? Let us sect With |
these words he scribbled on piece of
paper Josephs ballad beginning:
When my childhood was past Then
he handed me the sheet. Come, let
me have some music for these Words
I ran OIL and two hours later came
back to him with my first musical
composition.
"'Good gracious! said the old gen.
tleman, You're terrible fellow. Go
ahead and sing your little song now
Sing? Without piano|
what do you want Il piano for? |
Ito play an accompaniment. 1t is
impossible in any other way to set
forth the true harmony Of the work.
"'Oh! nonsense. don't care flo !
for your harmony What | want to !
know is whether YOU have any idea,
any true musical temperament. Go
ahead now
81 began to sing. When I had fin.
ished glanced timorously at my
stern critic. Tears stood in his eyes;
tears were rolling down his cheeks
i saw that he was strangely moved.
and was not surprised to find my.
self the next moment in his arms
Selected.