New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-25

vaacson, with an introduction by Frank
La Forge and forewcrd by$Dr. Frank
crane, has lately come from. the presses
# D. Appleton 4 Co. The book is
companion to an earlier volume, which
included prose portraits of$Beethoven.
CHOPIN, Gretry, Debussy. Massenct.
Mascagni. Verdi and otheri composers.
The present volume is concerned with
thirty vital figures in the history oe
music-Wagner, Rossini, Berlioz, Patti,
Cesar Franck, John Field. Donisetti,
Auher, Schubert, Balfc, Abt, ,Rubinstein.
Cris.ofori, Stephen Foster, 'Gries, Pal
estrina, Gourod, Coucy, Spohr, Purcell.
the Scarlsttis, Tschaikowsky, Garcia,
Dvorak, Bizet Moussorgky, Lalc,
Weber, ". n. l. and Mozart.
Mr. Isaacson presents no dry-as dust
alignment OF biographical facts, but
has assembled salient traits of char
seter and important incidents in the
lives of musical notables and, in lighter
vein. with enhancing imaginative
touches, has drawn series OF portraits
as vital as they are interesting.
Now and chen, as in the case Of
Gricg and Adelina Patti, the author
makes use of the personal touch and
records impressions left upon himself
by contact with the celebrity under
discussion. More often he conjures the
shade OF a departed musician from the
recesses of environment, and as in the
chapter on Wagner the composer is per-
mitted to tell his own story, his con-
LESSONS fed by comments of friends
or members of his household.
The full length portrait of Modest
Moussorgsky, for instance, is painted
in bold strokes as follows:
Modest Petrovitch Moussorgsky,
YOU drunken sot, get you home to your
bed and sleep off your liquor! Don't
come back until you're sobered up, if
it takes all year. l have a good mind
to ask permission from the govern
nsnt instantly to dismiss you, con-
tract or no contract You ruin dis
cipline. You never work anyway
You're disgusting; you're a vile, ugly
thing
ut was in the Office of the Imperial
Comptroller. The man who spoke so
yehemently was Fedor Mikhail, the chief
Jerk, and the man who listened sleep
ly was the lesser clerk, Moussorgsky.
The thin, shallow-skinned superior was
thoroughly disguised with this man.
He looked at him with venomous con-
tempt, spoke as he might to dog.
Time and again this had happened; he
was incurable. Of what use was the
cid rufian? Old? Why, Moussorgsky
was no older than Mikhail, who him
self was scarcely forty years of age,
but Modest Petrovitch already looked
fifty or more.
Shaking and trembling as with ague
the wretch stood disgraced, saying not
word, holding his cap in his hand
and glancng vcngeful!y out of his
b,cary eyes. Fat, bloated, dissipated
beyond conception, he was indeed a
very picture of ugly, besotted bestial-
ity. His face was red and blotehy,
with unkelnpt black beard, mustache
and shabby hair; lazy, dlssolute eyes
and the typical vodka nose. He wore
a svitka, the stripped blouse which
loosely fell to his waist, also high
boot and boomers.
acct out! Don't stand there. How do
you think this place looks with you
in it? Go and take this advice, Modest
Petrovitch Moussorgsky, nothing will
save you again, not even your cursed
music, remember. Next time I'll take
the law in my own hands and tear up
your commission and the government
will stand by me-
.The culprit, ruttering unspeakable
curses under his breath, staggered to
tbs door and out on the street of Mos
coy. At the exit he clutched his cap IN
bis fist and raised it in frightful i'm
precation for the cruel Mikhail. That
Nikhail was justified, of that there
was 10 doubt Mikhail had been mean,
10 be sure, officious, little cognizant OF
houssorgsky's hidden nature, but ne
Vas justified. Moussorgsky was vile
Creature
Modest Pctrovitch Moussorgsky
tried to bring his befuddled brain to
concentrate on certain points. How
10 move without attracting the notice
Of the passersby? Which way to go
Aome-what direction? Was it that
way past the saloon or this way past q
eate? How difficult to determine!
What task. His brain wouldn't op~
crate. He could not remember. tie
couldn't make decision"
And then the creator of Doris Godu-
hoy' is shown tcnderly led home by the
hsso-worshipping Yer1nalai Hanov.
Something Of the same Discrimination
70 work is seen on the part vi stephen
roster. Mr.. ISaacson pictures him re-
0elling against the monotonous duties
VI bookkeeping in his brothers grocery
store, forced to inscribe in the ledger
saea Passages as "To Miss Jane Attn
"A'te, Dr.. three pounds of sugar, 8
vents; two pounds of coffee, "a cents"
saen all the while melodies inspired by
." nights camp meeting were surg
AS tnr0upn h