The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-18
A PLAYFUL TREATMENT
OF THE MUSICAL LIFE

door sobhing. No wonder she cried out
to her papa. The wonder is that she
should have loved Herr Mayr from
that hour.
Peter Gais's music drama called
Satan" was a grand performance. The
chapter that tells about II Is one Of
the many delights OF the tale. AT
that moment Peter Gals had let loose
all he'll. A Bechstein concert grand
which had seen come twenty years Of
service trembled under the ponderous
paws of its gifted tanner. Rumbling
tremolos octaves roaring in the deepest
bass, struck martellando, the clanking
rattle of chords of the diminished
seventh In Wild disorder. chromatic
runs. foam dashing mp and falling back.
flashing tongues of flame sharp pointed.
the reverberations OF thunder IN the
bowels of the earth. grooming contra
bass darkness and lurid treble lighting
that was the tone picture of hell. that
was the decorative style al rresco." At
the conclusion OF the drama the audi
ence pressed about the composer to
shake hands and to say appreclative
words Mayr was at boss for a COM
pliment. but his tongue furnished un-
considered syllables. lie managed to
get out: MY God, how you did sweat"
There were interesting persons in Peter
Gals's audience. The story tells how
they looked and what they did and
said,
Mayr was thrown out at the Countess
Fiji Tockenburgs grande soree His
enemies took advantage OF the fact that
he had not received an invitation. His
IL tprraa I'D
when he became the favorite of Liszt at
Weimar. The story tells n great deal
that is very entertaining about Weimar
and List. II was remarkable com
pany that gathered about the great
master. There Is n place where Liszt
lectures Mayr concerning "tempera-
ment" Mayr had cruelty insulted Hon
ka Badacs, the fair Hungarian pianist,
because he was jealous. List says
to his favorite pupil: Think mo-
ment. my son. how can you ask Of this
poor Ilonka that she shall love YOU
alone and belong 10 you alone? She
is just as free a being as you are and
an artist full OF temperament. Has she
not the same rights az you have? You
treat her like o criminal. for whom no
expression Of scorn can he too strong.
ami at the same time you yourself
know best 81 all how good she is. She
is az innocent and honest as a child,
and has the softest heart and the truest.
noblest character of all my young wom-
en- pupils. Go and ask her forgiveness,
She was here late last night and cried
| pitifully over your foolish letter. Make
amends, my son We artists must not
be priests hut We may be Christians
and to despise human weakness is un-
| Christian" II Is added that the aged
master stood erect and radiant in the
! morning sunlight, and that his white
! hair shone about his head like a halo
Also that Mayr, overwhelmed, bent
over his wise masters hand, whereafter
without a word, he went forth to com
mune with himself in lonely ways.
Mayr had adventures and experiences
that were full Of complicated interest
! There Is a place where 1t IL said that
he rushed home precipitately. locked
himself in his room and stormed and
wept for hours without ceasns" This
surely was temperament" In full ms as
ure. He married Thekla at last, and
that was as II should b.