The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-14
aE-lorian AfRyr."


BY Ernst Won wolzoscn. b. w.
iIuebsch.
1t ,s said that moro than 100000
copies OF Baron Won Wolzogen's humor-
Gus story OF musical life, "t'loriar,
Mayr," have been sold during the years
OF its popularity among German read.
Ing peoples. and il Is doubtless safe
TO say that many more thousands OF
copies will he sold In this country, now
that the translation OF the novel by
Edward Breck and Charles Harvey Ge-
nunE has been published.
Even 20 one unfamiliar with the
orig!nal. It Is apparent that the task OF
translatng a story wherein dizziness
of touch. not to say spirit. is so i'm
Nortant a factor. WAS extremely dltii-
cult. hut Ii Is equally apparent--evon
TO such a onc-that the trunsla.ors
lave succeeded admirably in retaining
the lishtness. the whimsical joyous
ness and the genial satire of the leu
tonic original.
For, In this unique and delicious
comedy the author has not depended
upon the somewhat heavy handed
with the idea OF German jocularity,
but has written with 4 swift certainty
and kcen-pointcd incisivencss that one
looks for III Gallo satire. Further. he
does not level futile lance at agc-oid
windmills of immortality, nor does he
80 numbering about with tho stridcnt
voice OF n professional rcformcr, nor
Yet does no pose as a man with n mis-
zion. Nothing of this appears in his
work. nor IL suggested.
lie Is simply a man Of tho world n
close observer. musician and Il
laughing satrist. who looks upon, ana
listens 10, art with the eye and ear of
an artist. and yet e able to contcm
plate artists with that blend of In
diligence. contempt and admiration
with which the understanding mind
and heart are accustomed to regard
spoiled, gifted children. In short, he
sees the world of Iuusic from within
and from without And from this rare
and advantageous point of view he
has looked. and, having read and
studied much. has let his imagination
wander aiicld from mere facts. Thus
lie has produced "Florian Mayr." n
work which. so IT Is said. has become
secure among the classics OF German
notion. "a hammock novel for people
with brains Is more than a cntch-
phrase evolved by clever publisher;
IL Is an apt and accurate classification
Although. as has been said, Baron
Won WolzoScn has written as AN
amused spectator. rather than us a
pfopasandist, he supplies considerable
food for thought 10 those who like to
take their fiction seriously. Certain
i those who have become Interested in
wha' has become known as the John
[. Freund propaEanda.'' from the an
peal made by the distinguished editor
of Musical America TO American wo-
men 10 learn their music at home. an
appear inspired by, or based upon, the
temptations awaiting prospective stu
dents in European cities, VIII find In
ferential support in this novel II is
lar TO assume, ono would say, that
musical Berlin and Wcirnar OF TODAY
arc not radically more moral than they
is LAID.
Mayr" depicts life ns pnganlv M.
moral as any that has appcared In
our own transitory fiction OF the stare
beyond which immortality could no,
well go. such plot as 1t discloses is
woven about young pianist. whose
name gives title TO the book. A quick
tempered. violent. oft-heartcd ana of
iccilonate youth, he is at times n benr
Il rough practical joker ana "A Door.
but he Is always an artist. AT the
t!he the story opens, he is teaching
the piano to various talented and
stupid young people in Berlin. but. be-
cause OF the treachery OF Polish
musician, VINO poses as n ''crcative
artist but is In reality only a iealous
ana ignorant money hunter, he soon
'"H'S "li ms pupils.
quickly then the scene shifts to
Weimar, and here the novel becomes
al genuine value, because OF it's vivid
portrayal Of List and of the Swarm"
OF pupils and sycophants who follow
cd ana surrounded him. That distin-
guished critic and scholar, James
Huncker. has said the best portrait of
List is to he found In this novel. and
certainly the master musician appears
in It's pages as a living person. IT is.
indeed apparently "A very intimate
View Of Lisz, and his court that the
author presents In series of Incl
dents that are both amusing and IL
lum!native. 4.
According TO the author LAsze OK
pressed his disgust with those guihy
Of pretentiousness In several different
manners. one ovcrdressed woman
appeared with the Swarm" ana in
sisted upon playing for the Master"
she selected Schubcrts Fri King"
and played II lin a tempo which in
dicaicd. not that the father torn with
anguish was bearing his fevcrish child
on horse rushing like the wind but
that he was taking him TO the doctor
in a calm, Indifferent frame OF mind
on heavy truck drawn by "A yoke OF
oxen. Soulless and hard, these in
artistic fingers knocked the melody
ont OF the keys and the passionate
rush OF the accompa nimcnt remained
throughout the clumsy rumbling of
an express wagon" Yet, when at
last the child was dead" Liszt said
politely. We'll, my dear lady, you
have at all events a vcry-ditiercnt
conception OF this piece"
But. when the trcacherous Pole
proved his utter incapacity ana ignor-
ance ~ being unable to explain even
his own stupid and trashy music, the
great composer and virtuoso beat him
over the head win his manuscript.
There flames through the book a
Hungarian gin, Il pianist. one Ilcnka
Badacs, who. in spite OF her artistic
and wholly immoral unconvcniiou-
ai!ty. remains the most attractive per
sonality created hy the authorized in
Guiding among his creations the noble
ana majestic tgurc OF List. Her heart is
large, If her morality negligible. and
her Intelligence Is broad. II her code
elastic. Lis%ts own rule OF personal
conduct. as expressed In u long speech
to his disciple. tIorian, would not
bear The most cursoiy inspection by
Journalist.