Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-15

Those who have survived and earned
lasting fame in the professional field
have been the fortunate possessors OF
sturdy characters and strong consti-
buttons and the type of will power
which guarantees success. Even so,
the road has been thorny one. I'm
doubtedly. if the truth could be known,
many fine talents in women have been
lost to the world from lack Of en-
couragement and help,
But If women in the past have con-
tributed little to musical literature,
they have a glorious connection with
its inspiration. To the subtle intiu-
ence which they exerted in the lives
of the great composers, the world owes
some of its most noble musical eX-
periences, some of the most magnlfl-
cent revelations of the heights TO
which the human soul can soar.
Throughout the history of music 1t
would seem to have been the province
Of women to bring out the deepest
poetry. the finest ldealism and the
greatest grandeur in the composers,
whose gift might not have reached
that superlative degree OF expression
without their assistance.
Some of the master composers have
been glad to openly acknowledge their
indebtedness while others have left 1t
to posterity to decide that a master
piece owed its inspiration to some
woman. One, the great List, has IN
corporated his gratitude in legal
document for all the world to take
cognizance of. When preparing to
write his testament, his first thought
was of the woman who had devoted
her life to him, the Princess Caroline
Won yn-Wittgenstein, and in touch
ing humility he put aside any credit
for the greatness of his own talent in
order to make public acknowledgment
Of the inspiration her devotion had
been to him. 1t makes poignant read
ing to find this artist, who had all
Europe at his feet in homage to him
as pianist, composer and man, apollo
giving to her tfor not having accomp-
plished more, for not having, perahpS,
come up to her expectations as Gre
alive artist. Each morning, before he
began his days work, it had been
their custom to kneel together in
prayer. Each new work was developed
by the aid of her warm sympathy,
which held the outline of the goal,
clear and beautiful, before him. To
the companionship of this woman the
world owes the ripe Towering of List
genius.
Without the three women so closely
interviewer in his life, the genius Of
Wagner might still be awaiting recog-
milton. The hard-working, fretful
Minna, the glamorouS Matilda
Wesendonck and the energetic, re-
sourceful Cosima each took part in
the fashioning of his greatness. from
the homely help of his first wife to
the constructive planning of his Sec
ond wife. Yet neither of these two
had the happiness to know they were
the cause of such wide expansion Of
the wings of fancy, such loosening
of the surging waters of emotion, such
eager ascension to glorious heights as
was Mathilda's, the inspiration of
Tristan and Isolde" Long after the
death of the master, the faithful
Cosima worked for his glory and
through her efforts not only the music
itself, but its greatness, has been i'm
pressed upon the consciousness Of the
musical world.
One cannot be completely certain
who were the ones to keep glowing
the warm inspiration of Beethoven,