The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-31

bcrcd with admiring affection, was tn.
son OF an organist at Limerick, "the
creamy brogue of which he never lost"
He went to Belgium and then to Paris,
was one Of the few Britons at Bayreuth
in 1876. and was an intimate friend
OF Rossini Chopin and Bcrlioz. That
creamy brogue was a strange COncomi-
tant Of his facial resemblance to Ros-
SIM. which the Italian composer is said
to have remarked and put to good use.
If he found Osborne at an evening
party which bored him he would whis-
per TO the lrishman: Now. cher ami,
I give you full leave TO be Rosstni for
the rest OF the evening" and retire.
The anecdote suffers from juXtaposition
with one of Berlioz. In his memoirs"
Berloz describes the first performances,
at the lnvalides, OF his tremendous
REQUIEM" conducted by Habeneck. his
Conservatoire rival: How the four
brass bands were distributed at the
four corners OF the orchestra and how
vitality important were The -four beats
which the conductor has TO give in
order to insure the exact entry for tho
terrible explosion He narrates:
Just in the one bar where the con-
ductor's beat Is absolutely necessary
Habeneck lowers his stick, coolly takes
his nnuffboX out OF his pocket and lei
surely takes a pinch. ] always had my
eye upon him; turned round quickly
end gave the four slow beats to the
change OF tempo. When Habc-
neck saw that the Tuba mirum was
rescued he said: What a cold pcrspra-
ton | have had, We should have been
lost without Nou,' Yes I know was
my answer, fixing him with a signiH-
cant look" Osborne said that he had
been sitting with Berlioz: tina; he never
stood up, that Illbeneck never dropped
his baton or took SNUFF and that thore
was no need or opportunity FOR signin-
cant flashes OF the composers eve"
When ghe Memoirs were published he
asked Berlioz why he had printed the
fiction. Berlioz laughed. and explained
he thought it too goou story to lose.
Is not literature greater than life?
The author records a personal er-
perience Of the generosity OF Henry
Irving. Bran Stokcr, Irvings secre-
tary. called to ask Sir Charles to COM
pose music for Tennyson's "Becket."
Stoker: The chief dslikes talking
business, SO will you tell me what your
terms will be- stanford: NO terms.
1t Will be Of The greatest interest TO
me to write 10, II only out of respect
and affection FOR Lord Tpnnyson"
Discussion. Stoker: Would YOU accept
f2OO?' stanford: IT'S a great deal too
much Stoker: The chief won't let
YOU take less" stanford: Hes an i'm
possible man. Well. so be- IT," The next
day the composer saw Irving. who in
sisted the t200 was too little. Wen
make 81 three hundred" The composer
demonstrated. aud Irving remarked:
Then YOU shant write the music.
mean what I say" And when he made
out his cheek 10 was for three. not
two hundred. and not pounds but
guineas. Under him. says Sir Charles.
the whole atmosphere Of the theatre
from the leading actor down to the call
boy was one Of consideration, thorough
ness and unruiiied temper"
\ visit Of Tennyson's to Trinity il re-
ported in which the poet shocked his
host, who brought out bottle Of "a
port for his regalement, by dilutng the
wine with hot water. Hearing after
ward OF his hosts hurt feelings. Tenny-
son said: Tell him that Horace mixed
water with his F'alernian" He told tho
reminiscent of a visit with Queen VIC
toria. They were walking on the ter
race at Osborne The poet fell silent,
thinking about. lie said: II wa. mink
ing how lonely Your Mai. we- -
there" The Queen cried"
At the end Of his no longer unwritten
diary" Sir Charles INDUCES in some
reflections upon modern tendencies and
modern audiences" lie mourns for the
live and let live" Of an earlier day and
regrets the modern loneliness: Such
an expression of opinion as Beethoven
was an old rotter' would have been
unthinkable among my contemporaries,
even when We were sowing our widest
oats" But were the old timers -
bllssfully free from the vexation Of
clashing ambitions; and is ''old rotter"
an honored phrase in the glossary of
contemporary music criticism?
Experiment. IAN admirable thing In
ITSELF is pushed beyond the bounds
OF beauty" Sensationalism and NOR
bidity usurp the place OF sane and sober
Judgment; the newspaper audience IL
wooed Color for colors sake is 'Sh4
rock upon which modern superficial
taste is in danger of splitting" Opera
is AM exotic in London, EocietyNS play
thing; the benefactor OF deferred com
ing who win some day give England q
national" opera will earn a niche In
English history.