Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-15
LEHAR TELLS OF
EARLY MISFORTUNE


MT o composer Of today is more in the
N public eye than Franz Lehar, whose
~ Merry Widow" is the light opera
sensation of two continents. At present
three companies are presenting this
work in the United States, while in Eu-
rope the Merry Widow companies out
number the Tom Shows on this side
of the Atlantic.
Asked recently to prepare a brief auto
biographical sketch for use in America
the brilliant young composer responded
with a more or less detailed account OF
his early struggles for fame and his re-
bluffs. closing his story with characteris-
tic modesty at that period of his life
when he stood upon the threshold OF
success. The following translation is by
Herr Carl Schmidt:
No "SwelIed Head"
II / decide, like other celebrated men,
to write something like biography I
hope YOU will not think that have a
swelled head Each one thinks that his
own life is very interesting; do not
like to be called what Heine calls bad
musicians" Even after the success of
the Merry Widow would like to be
called a good fellow and also good
musician. 1 prefer to be a bad writer.
But we will see what 1 can do in this
line.
am a ''knapsack child" that is what
they call it in Austria-Hungary; the
children and soldiers who follow their
parents from garrison to garrison, and
consider the knapsack as home. My
father, the son Of not wealthy farm
er's family in Schoenwald, In Maehren,
made the whole career of a talented but
poor farmer boy. AS he did not take
to farming but preferred to fiddle on his
small violin, he was sent to Sternberg
to study with Musical Director Heyden-
reich of that city. Church bells and
rocking babies were his first musical
studies.
After finishing his studies he made a
quick career as musical director In the
army. In Komorn he first met my
mother and I was born on April 30, 1870.
MY mother often told me that I was a
so-called wonder Child; l always
could find. as a 4-year-old boy to each
melody the right accompaniment on
piano. I composed my first song, being
years old, and dedicated 1t to my
mother.
Eleven years old, left the house of
my parents to study at German gym
nasium at Sternberg. year later !
became a student OF the conservatory at
Prague my main instrument being the
violin under Director Bennewitz as my
teacher. 1t very often happened that
tainted in the streets from hunger but
as my mother visited me once in Prague
] had the courage not to complain. My
director observed that / neglected my
violin and he recommended to me to
study with Dvorak.
Dvorak Praises Him
In 1887 / submitted to Dvorak two COM
nositions Sonata ArAntique" in q
major and Sonata AiAntique in D
minor Dvorak looked at my work and
said, .'Hang your fiddle on nail and
write a composition" This was spoken
out of the soul but my father insisted
that I become a first-class violinist. In
1888 / graduated at a conservatory;
accented a position as first solo violin
ist. later on as concert master at the
combined city theaters in Barmen-Elber-
field. My salary was $50 marks (about
S25) a month.
One day in the year 1883 my father re-
ceived the following telegram: Franz
disappeared; broke his contract" / had
left Barmen at night without farewell
and entered three days later the regi-
ment band of my father. where / stayed
only ten months. Through the recon-
mendation of Komzaks I got position
as military musical director in Losoncz.
I composed many songs ana also hau
some financial difficulties. AT that time
I made my first attempt in the musical
dramatic line; the name of the opera was
.sDer Kurassier.'
Weber said once: The first dogs and
the first operas belong in the water" ;
this also refers to my first opera. In
April. 1894. was musical director of the
Austrian Navy band and conducted at
! that time a concert for Emperor William
II, who expressed great satisfaction. On
November 2S 1896 my opera "Kuska,'
later called "Titiana," was produced for
the first time in Leipzig, but was nc
success. / had to give. up my position