New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-08
ATRIOTTC SONGS OF THE WARNING NATIONS
Power
Its Wonderful Power and
Singular History, as Told
by Lamartime

cannot be traced further back than the year
1900.
&c. too, story has been told with great
deal of particularly to the effect that the en-
tire melody of the Marsees hymn has been
found in the Credo of mass the manuscript
of which, dated 1916, and subscribed with the
name "Holtzmann" as its composer, was dis
covered in the library Of the parish church Of
Meersburg, on Lake Constance No musical
historian knows aught of a composer named
Holtzmann though there has been vague in
tmation given out that somebody with that
surname once filed the Office of Court Chapel
master to the Elector Palatine. But when in
quiries were made at Meersburg in1S79 moth
ing could be learned from the parish curate of
such a mass. The author of the original story,
printed in 1851 said that the discoverer of the
manuscript was ready to show it to any ihter-
ested inquirer, and the Credo is said to have
been reprinted in book on De Lisle, pub
lished in Leipsic in 1898. That publication
has never come under the notice of this writer,
but if the manuscript of Credo in which he
tune of LA Marseaise" appears exists it is
high time that its authenticity be proved or
for the tune hold their peace. Against the
theory of its genuineness and its spoation by
De Lsle lies the rast improbability that a
soldier in France should have been familiar
with an unpublished mass which lay hidden in
the archives Of town in Wurtemberg until
nearly three-quarters of century afterward.
Such tardy documentary evidence may gener-
ally be set down at once as spurious and man.
ufactured for the purpose of bolstering a pre-
conceived theory. A significant case in point
came to notice a very few years ago when an
attempt was made to introduce new evidence
touching the identity of Beethovens Immortal
Beloved" by means of an additional ove-letter
to the pair whose date has called out volumes
of controversy. In this new letter phrase of
music was introduced as of recent compost
ton The writer of this article Immediately
called upon the editor Of die Musk" in which
journal the new evidence was set forth, for
examination of the document by an expert in
caligraphy He received no reply, but few
months later the alleged letter was proved to
be an impudent forgery and the editor con-
fessed that he had been imposed upon.
FANTASTIC TALES REFUTED.
In the case of the attempted Beethoven fraud
detection was made by comparison Of paper,
handwriting and chemical test of the ink used
in the genuine and spurious documents. There
was also evidence sufficient for the careful
student in the phraseoogy used despite the
obvious care taken by the forger to adopt the
composers epistolary style. This effort in
deed aided in the detection Of the fraud, for
the perpetrator put one Of Beethoven's express
sions into the letter long before the occasion
which had led to its coinage had arisen and in
quoting phrase of melody he put words under
it, but copied the notes not as Beethoven would
have written them for the voice, but as he
actually wrote them for the violin.
great deal of fiction gets into history
and maintains itself there because it appeals
to the fancy and emotions. The seventh
stanza of LA Marseillaise" was written by
Dubois, as has been related; but it has been
attributed also to Andre Ch6nler, whom 1t
would be pleasant to associate with De Lisle
if for no other reason than because Of the
political sympathes of the two poets. But
though the last sounds which Chenier heard
in all likelihood we're those Of De Lisles mel
odv, cut short by the fall Of the blade Of the
guillotine. he had nothing to do with the ere
alton Of the song. The family name, how
ever. is intimately connected with revolution
airy song, for it was Andres brother, Marie
Joseph Chenier, who wrote the words of the
"Chant du Depart" and the Chant du Vic
torres" The former, set to music by Mehul
was only second in popularity to LA Marseil-
ase," and the latter contains one stanza
which might be sung now throughout France
with new meaning
Ostend receive our hosts Of war.
Naughty Namur before US bow,
Client and Oudenard, yield ye now,
CharlerO and Mons, your gates unbar!
Brussels once more around thee falls
The light of liberty divine;
Now plaintive Licge, upon thy walls
Receive the trcolor ensign
Glory to France vengeance for wrong she
brings!
Live the Republic perish all earth's kings!
There is an amable appeal to fancy and
emotions in one Of the latest attempts to
provide fictitious author for the last stanza
of De Lisle's hymn. 1t was printed in book
entitled "An Englishman in Paris" published
some eighteen or twenty years ago IN Paris,
and told in detail how priest who had re-
fused 10 take the oath Of the republic was
brought before the Revolutionary Tribunal.
Asked who he was he replied II am the Able
Personeaux, a former tutor Of the College of
VI. - H. .,,tbc. of no lact ctronbo ~