Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-11

Dear Aunt Laurie:
l want to thank you for the nice
Book, Scottish Chiefs" 1 received as
first prize in the unfinished story con-
test last Sunday. 1t is the second prize
that have won, and l appreciate it
very much.
I am coming to Los Angeles in a few
weeks and I hope that l will be able
to come and see you.
Riverside, Cal. PERRY BYERLY.
am glad that you liked your book,
Perry, and / hope that it will encour-
age you to continue the work through
the winter. l will be delighted to meet
you if you come to the city.
BEETHOVEN THE DEAF MUSICIAN
Almost every girl and boy has heard
of Beethoven, the German who played
so we'll and who wrote SO many beauti-
full pieces of music. At nearly every
fine concert some performer plays
piece written by this great man. Would
you believe it, Beethovn began to show
his wonderful talent when he was not
much older than a baby? His father,
poor man, saw that the child would
easily learn to play the violin ana
piano, SO he decided that his son should
be a wonder child" hoping that
great fortune might be made from the
boys talent. This meant that he should
be able to play we'll enough to give
concerts while still a child. To do this
the poor little fellow, 4 or years old,
was called in from play every day ana
made to sit on a high stool to practice
his scales on the piano.
The little musician often played his
violin lessons with big tears rolling
down his cheeks. He had to do this
work, though, for his father sat in the
room with him to see that the boy was
very careful in doing what had been
taught to him. When the lad was
years old, perhaps, he began to be glad
that his father had made him spend so
many hours on his music, for at that
age he gave a great concert, playing
before large audience of distinguished
people. Even the noblemen of his coun-
try sent for him to play for them.
When Beethoven was 10 years old his
mother took him to Holland, where he
played in many fine homes and aston
ished every one by his skill in playing
on the piano, violin and flute.
Then the boy performer returned
home to learn the organ, and before
long he was playing the church organ.
AS most of the chid's time was taken
up with his music, he did not go to
school after he was 13 years old, SO
priyate tutor taught him Latin, French
and Italian. When Beethoven was 10
years old he went to Vienna to play
before Mozart, who was then the great
est living musician. AT flrst Moza[t
took little interest in the awkward
stub nosed young man and barely lis.
tened to him when he played several
pieces. Then Mozart gave Beethoven a
little phrase of music on which ne was
to improYise or make new music Whlch
should have much the same SOUND as
the little phrase itself. 1t was then
.I,~
musical power His playing was so
grand that Mozart called in his FAM
ilv to hear the composer whom he sad
was so extraordinary that the world
would hear him some day. sure enough,
Mozart was right, for, although 1t mas p
been over a hundred years since Bee
thoven died, yet all over the world bee
thoven's compositions are pIayeo. II 10
said that musical themes and melodies
ran through Beethoven's mind day ana
night. Everything in the world brought
music to his soul. He wrote one Deau-
tiful symphony in memory of days
spent in the country in the green val
lev of the Rhine. The music makes one
heAr a brook flowing through the Tor
ests and the birds singing. In one part
the heavy rush of a storm seems 10
thunder and after it there is the peas
ants song of joy because the storm had
left them unharmed.
Although the great musician was
poor all of his life and much OF ms
time sad lonely or ill, yet the greatest
symphony was written to JOY Wheh
it was played the first time BeetnoVeh
himself conducted the orchestra. When
II was over the audience cheered wildly
and some even stood on their seats TO
wave their handkerchiefs The con
ductor still stood with his back to the
audience looking down at the orches-
ira. Beethoven had not heard one note
of the sweet music which had oeeh
oIaved nor did he know of the APP
n1ause of the audience, for his hearing,
which had been growing worse Tor
years, had then entirely gone.-san
Francisco Call.