The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-02-15

ELIZABETH RUSSAKOFF
The following composition is an
other one of the excellent articles
prepared on Mozart by high school
students This was written by Cor
don Grundy.
MOZART
The last strains of that impefish-
able gem of composition. Mozart's
Don Giovanni" was dying away in
echoes through the auditorium of the
great church. Slowly, my mind wan
dered back, as | sat on the bench and
gazed imaginatively up to the pipes of
the great organ, to those great men
of old. As the curtain of that ia
nous past arose before me, | saw
those oIden masters of melody The
scene faded. The home of Mozart
drifted across my mind. This was
in Salzburg, and in this home the
now world-famous Mozart was born.
The scene has shifted A child of
five years stands smiling and bowling
before an audience of a great number
He takes his seat and strikes melo-
finishes playing his composition, the
audience sits spell-bound, unbeliev-
ing, at the talent that he produced,
while his proud father leads him from
off the stage.
All! The scene has changed. His
quill is poised in his fingers, while
the childish brain seeks the notes of
harmony. which are forming in his
mind, and the composition is "Octa-
vato' the melody of which has lifted
the hearts of our present day audi
ences, as our masters of today have
rendered it.
But here the second act of his life
is staged. He is standing before
Emperor Francis I, to render one of
the great concerts of his own compo-
sitions, at the age of six. Again, the
childish fingers fly deftly over the
keys of the clavichord. The En-
peror presents to Mozart his docu-
ment of recognition before the crowd
ed court of eager listeners.
This scene trails off into an invisi-
BILE dimness. while the curtain rises
on the third act of the life of Mozart.
He is smiling on an audience of
countless thousands In the Vienna
Opera House. Here he displays ia
lent greater than he has ever before
shown. Through these ever matur-
ing years. his mastery ken of music
has gained for him worldwide recog-
milton. Once again, for the twelfth
time in nineteen years, Mozart IS
present before an audience in Vienna
where at The age of twenty-five, he
has reached the zenith of his world
famous career. He is seated before
the clavchord, his fingers echoing the
harmony in his SOUL as he renders
that imperishable master piece lido
meneo' which brought all Vienna at
his feet.
Alas, The scene changes, An in
spiration CLEANS in his eyes and as
this inspiration grows. more stead
tasty he works. as his quill forms
the notes of that composition, which
stands unexcelled among those of the
Immortals 1.-THE Requiem" And now
the curtain rises on the tragic third
scene. 'Tis few days after the
completion of this masterpiece. and
his mind runs over the strains of that
beautiful harmony. 1t Is left to the
discretion of the people of the world
what greater immortality and fame
might have been his II he had lived.
The last scene of this historic
drama is laid in Mozart's home. His
child is playing "The Requiem" for
him and during the playing of this.
in the year of 1891. at the age of
thirty-five. the soul of Mozart takes
its wingng flight in death.
The curtain drops 'Tis the end
of the play, and yet one of the great
est of dramatic operas. which. indeed.
is nobly entitled Mozart"
Lo! The Missionaries!
Though silent rests the keys. his
soul perceives
The voices of the angels singing from
on high