The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1909-04-22
ANECDOTES [ OF REYER
The Famous French Composer
Was Blunt Of Speech.
He HAD A cAusTIc TONGUE.

| VuS osHu0 WIZ "AS SaVtSuty %.
slowed Upon Those Who Annoyed o.
pispIeassd Him-As an ofsieehoIdsr
He Was the Limit Of Indifference.
Ernest Reyer. the famous French
composer, had biting wit and caus.
tic tongue. Fortune frowned on him
at the beginning Of his musical career,
and his first opera. "Erostrate," was
played only twice. This did not worry
Reyer much. although. as he said to
the manager. Il had hoped to see 1t
played three times at least" "Ero-
strate" was rather meanly staged. In
the first act the temple Of Ephesus
was supposed to fall and did not. II
suppose" said Reyer, that they
thought that If the play dropped hard
| enough the audience would excuse the
tcmple!
At that time the manager Of the
opera was man named Halanzier,
who was no musician and whom Reyer
disliked. Halanzier had way of pat
ronizing the composer which made him
furious. and he took his revenge one
evening in Brussels. "Sigurd." after
having had some success in Paris, was
played ut the Theatre de la Monnaie in
Brussels and achieved a triumph. Aft
er the first performance Reyer gave a
supper. to which he invited Halanzier.
who was delighted when the composer,
after speech in his honor, lifted his
glass and said. "And now wish to
drink to Halanzier." Halanzier bowed
and smiled. and Reyer. without NOV.
ing muscle. went on calmly and i'm
perturbably-"to Halanzier, the one
manager to whom owe nothing"
Reyer was playing one Of his compo.
sitions at friends house when a little
girl--he hated childrcn-commenced to
cry and would not be comforted. "For
PHYS sake" cried Reyer furiously.
put that child on chair and sit on
her face. one of your The crying child
became some fifteen years later Mime.
Rose Caron. the singer who helped
Reyer to the pinnacle Of fame.
1t was Ernest Reyer who was the
original perpetrator of the joke with
reference to twins which has been
ascribcd to so many people. A friend
Of his had just become the father of two
boys and had them brought in to the
composer. Charming" said Ernest
Reyer ncrvously-"charming Children"
patting their cheeks gingerly with his
gloved hand. delightful children real
~. Which one are you going to keep?"
When he was appointed librarian to
the Paris Opera he took his duties
very easily and as matter of fact
scarcely ever went to the opera
house. He was fond of telling the
story of his first visit to his office. He
went to 1t one evening at dusk six
years after he had been appointed.
He lost his way and wandered about
up and down narrow passages and
dark corridors until he ran up against
a doorkeeper whom he had passed two
or three times already. The man, dis.
trusting the stranger, stopped him and
said, who are you. and where are you
going?" Reyer looked him up and
down. Il am the librarian" he said
haughtily. "and am looking for the
library!"
One day a young musician called on
him with q warm letter Of introduction
from mutual friend. Rcycr received
him and, wincing. asked him to play
the two pieces which his friend had
recommended. After the first one had
been performed the pianist turned ex-
pectantly to the composer. "What do
YOU think of that?" he asked. 81 pre-
fer the other one," said Reyer, and
the young man left without playing it.
When he was on the stairs the old
composer leaned over the banisters
and called to him. Your future is as
surcd. young man," lie said. You
have nearly learned when to stop. But
If you had let me off the first piece
too And. chuckling, he went into
his fat again.
Once young lady sang him the
grand air from "Sigurd" and sang it
rather badly. Il was SO frightened,
cher maitre!" she said. Not nearly as
frightened as I vast! was the old
mans answer.
On another occasion lady said to
him: ooh. NJ. Reyer. when l hear the
air Of Doves in 'Salammbo' l can posi-
lively see you writing it! can see
you in your beautiful home in Pro-
vence, between the mountain and the
sea, drawing inspiration from the sun
shine Of the south and"- Reyer inter
rupted her. "There is something the
matter with your eyesight. madame"
he growled. when composed that
air I was sitting on the top of an ON
nibus, smoking pipe. and it was rain.
ing in torrents"
One more example. A lady who
lodged opposite him in the Rue de la
Tour d'Auvcrgne was an ex.pupil Of
the conservatory, and this, it seemed
to her, was the chance of lifetime
The master could not help hearing her
sing, and If he heard her he would be
captivated and her future would be as.
sured. So she opened her window and
daily sang numbers from his "Salamm:
bo." In due course messenger knock.
ed at her door. IN. Reyer has heard