The New York herald., 1922-10-22
Pupil of List Resents
DannroSch'S Weimar Story

To THE NEW York HERALD: My at
tention has been called to an autobio-
graphical article by Mr.. Walter Dam
rosch In which he relates of his brief
visit to Liszt in Weimar; and. having
attended one OF the masters lessons, he
characterizes Liszt's last class in sweep
Ing terms as "pitiful crowd OF syco-
plants and incompetents" with but
few exceptions mentioning one !:
Eugene D'Albert, Is or 16 years old"
Che was 1S). He further states that
certain people had said "the master was
surrounded by a band of cormorants,
most Of whom had no talent or ambition
and virtually lived on the masters in
credible Kindness. abusing 1t in every
way"
! was there at the time, and for three
years carefully recorded things that
happened. or that were said by Liszt,
in a diary of 741 pages. and can say
that the people he quotes were never
at a lesson. Weimarians. eager for
Liszt gossip, not only used long distance
eyeglasses, but magnifying lenses as
well. and their reflections sometimes
came as near the truth as those seen
in Coney Island warped mirror. Mr..
Damrosch's crowd" probably means
one young man and three young women
whose names were subject to gossip.
One Of these related that when Mr..
Damrosch called she was present; that
Liszt had asked her to play something
while he finished his toilette, and that
the young New Yorker had said that
she played like a goddess" Another
Of the trio the master expelled soon
after: but that Is another story.
The irascible Won Biilow did not
"clean out the room"--as related-on
the day he gave a lesson for the master,
who was Ill. He did tell two of these
women, You should be swept out of
the room--not with a broom but with
it's handle" One would not come back.
but Liszt himself called and told her to
return. ct was said she was a protege
Of the old Empress Augusta, who having
heard Liszt had lost all at Monte Carlo
had. offered to send him 100000 marks
then S33,000--but he explained that
the report was untrue.)
1t Is true that In the goodness Of his
heart the master sometimes permitted
unworthy ones to slip in; these usually
soon disappeared: they were told to 'go
to some conservatory Then there were
good pianists who received sincere
praise from the master, but who because
Of their retiring and supersensitive
nature did not aspire to brave the foot
lights. Possibly the very humble bear
ing of men like Otto Lessmann, noted
editor: Karl Klindworth. friend OF
Wagner and eminent conductor or WAL
ter Bachc, a scholarly London pianist
who had spent the past eighteen sum-
mers with Liszt. and others. may have
seemed servile to a superficial visitor,
but these were not sycophants In truth
Il showed how much men reverenced
Liszt.
As to young Damrosch's bursting
into tears" because of the masters
gently malicious remarks: II might
be said that while Liszt welcomed sin
cere seekers OF learning, superficial
curiosity callers angered him, and this
had several times caused scenes When
son of Leopold Damrosch. an old time
friend (who had sat among the first
violins In his orchestra) called--of
course he was expected to avail him
self OF the much sought opportunity
to study In Weimar; and with an infiu-
ential father to pave his way he should
make a good disciple for the Wagner
I,iszt cause I'm the new world. But ap-
parently unconscious OF the wonderful
opportunity that only need be grasped.
the son OF one whom he had befriended
did not even ask the privilege OF play
ing to him. but barely tarrled long
enough to snake ndnus' WueH ne Hlust
be off-in American business haste.
This was the crux of his sarcasm. He
did stay to attend one lesson; but al
though he had played Hummel con-
certo with orchestra at home, and might
have given this crowd of incompetents"
an object lesson, he refrained from play
ing at the lesson.
who could doubt that had the young
conductor grasped the opportunity as
weingartner and other conductors were
then doing he might have scared to
greater heights without having priina
donna, years later, give him instructions
In conducting. as is related In his
article?
As for Mr.. Damrosch's Few" excep-
tions. here is the remarkable list OF
thirty pupils OF Liszt's last class tfor
three and a half years teaching). never
before or since euualled. Practically all
have appeared with orchestra, the first
fifteen in New York: three are In this
country now. six or more being classed
with the worlds greatest pianists: !:
Rosenthal, D'AIbert. Sauer, Reinenauer.
Siioti. I.amond, Da Motta, Stradal.
Baache, Van Zeyl. Martha Remmert.
Vera Timonoff, Marie Jaell (pianist and
composer). Emma Grosskurth. Lutter.
Sally Lieblng. Eckhoff, Schuler. Schill-
ing, Van de Zandt. Thoman aud Dayas.
In reverence TO the great rhaster and
In justice to the class these Nacts are
submitted. CARL v. LAcf1MuNp.,