Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-09-28
MUSICIANS
Eccentric Moods and Manners Of
the Great Composers.
THE MADNESS OF GENIUS.
Besthovsn's Strange Abstraction and
Queer HabIts = The Odd Contract
That Mozart Insisted on Signing.
Meyerbesr inspired BY Thunder.

W~1W1~N W~RW~@ ~ sHAH@Sst
when listening to the wonderful
strains Of Beethoven's immortal sym.
phonies and sonatas 1t is dlficult to
imagine that they could come from the
pen Of such an eccentric man. Though
musicians are, as n rule. men with
many peculIarities, Beethoven was
probably the most extraordinary OF
them all.
He wrote his music In all sorts Of
plaees-when dining. walking or con
yerslng with a friend. Often in the
midst Of crowded street ne would
stop and write furiously for few
minutes on the back Of letter or an
envelope. oblivious to the busting
crowd about him. Some Of his great
est themes were composed when he
was walking along In the pouring rain,
for In the worst weather he was a
familiar figure in the streets OF vlen-
IVA, aud. though often the object Of
much rldlcuIe and many gIbes, he was
profoundly inattentiye TO his surround
lngs, as his mind was wholly occupied
with his music. His friends were not
unaccustomed to have him break of
IN the midst Of a conversation and be-
gin to write rapidly some motif which
had presented itself to him.
This great composer would play for
hours at stretch, and In order TO cool
his hands, which often became fever
lsh, he would seize q water jug and
walk about the room, pouring the wa
ter first on one hand and then on the
other, utterly ignoring the fact that
there was no receptacle to catch 1t.
This was the cause OF many Of his
hasty retreats from his lodgings, for
the slightest complaint would cause
him to give notice to quit, 80 puerlie
was he at times. As a result he some
times was paying for no fewer than
three different lodgings at the same
time, which, after engaging for a
month, he had abruptly left in day.
Though Haydn ranks next to Bee
thoyen on the list Of eccentric musi-
clans, still their pecullarlties were very
unlike. Beethoven lived In the midst
OF disorder and confusion, while Haydn
ayerred that he could not compose u
line unless everything In his study
was In It's exact place. Even every
ornament must be where It belonged.
He always rose early to write, for he
found his greatest inspiration when
the birds were singing in the dewy
morning hours, His most extraordl-
nary characteristic, however. was to
don his full court dress. with bob wig.
hat aud ruiiies, and put on his finger a
certain ring before he wrote line, for
he declared that he had not musical
idea unless so attired.
Mozart cannot be called eccentric In
the same sense as the two mentioned.
for they were very retlrlng--in fact.
refuses while he was to great en-.
tent man Of the world. To him,
however, must be credited one OF the
strangest documents that perhaps have
ever been written.
He became engaged to young wo-
man. and at the request Of his future
notherIn-law be drew up In the pres
ence OF nm attorney a contract which
bound him n marry one of the wO-
man's daughters within three years.
the said daughter always having the
liberty 70 refuse the composer II she
wished to marry another. But In case
Mozart was unable to carry out his in.
tention through lack OF the necessary
funds or through the woman's refusal
be pledged himself TO support her In
the condition OF u stranger. no matter
where or how she lived. all her life.
I bis support was to be a fixed sum
paid quarterly or half yearly.
Wagner, too. was not exempt from
peculiar fancies His mind seemed to
run to the grewsome. and during his
lifetime BIO had his grave constructed
Il wns IN the garden back OF his home.
and he would often SO and look at II
that he might not forget It's existence.
But the worst OF II was that he con
stantly insisted that his friends should
remember II. too, and when he was en-
pertaining them at dinner he would
suddenly break on the conversation
aud begin deeiaimina on eternity and
the grave.
"My friends be would say. "in the
midst Of life We are In death. Death Is
u lot that we all must face. even 50
great man a. myself I. too. must
die. should Inc very much 10 show
you my grave. n you win allow me-
And. starting from the dinner table.
be would lead the way. followed by
his guests. to the corner Of the garden
where his grave was. and there he
would give his companions further dis.
sertatl0ns on eternity.
Meyerheer gathered bis thoughts
amid the rumble Of thunder, the fash
90 lightning aud downpour OF rain. In
order more fully TO expose himself 10
the stimulating effects Of the elements
he had constructed for himself at the
top Of bis house room whose sides
were entirely Of glass. and here he
would hasten at the approach Of a
storm and amid It's fury would have a
rush Of musical thoughts
There IL a story about him to the