Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
NEWS OF MUSIC
Local Piano Students
Inspired by Lii Krous

the fact that Lii Kraus is a
great woman.
\ y
RECEPTIVE MR.. PEPYS
I have suspected from time
to time that the conversation
of organists, however enter
tanning it may he to the lay
man, can be fully appreciated
only by other organists. This
week, while thumbing through
Pepys' diary. trying to locate
his review Of 1.-The Virgin
Martyr" I found that Mr..
Pepys had corroborated my
suspicion:
December 10, 1867. Met Mr..
Kingston, the organist. walk
ing, and l walked with him;
and asking him many ques-
lions. I do find that he can no
more give an intelligent
answer to q man who is not a
great master in his art, than
another man. And this con-
firms me that 1t is only the
want Of an ingenious man that
Is master in musick, to bring
muSick to certainty, and ease
in composition"
Note that the comment is in
no way a disparagement Of
Kingston but an observation
on the limitations of Pepys
himself. The diarist was q
musical amateur whose delight
in the art has seldom if ever
been equaled. No one else, at
least, has expressed it so in
fectiously in words.
The passion aroused in
Pepys' breast by the music he
heard is usually countered by
a consuming curiosity to know
what makes it so beautiful,
why it is played thus and why
so composed.
There Is seldom much hui
manity that clings to writing
about music; it is often pretty
arid literature, with composer,
performer and auditor each
reduced to an inanimate effigy
only conventionally lifelike,
after the manner of the mat
tress-testers in the advertise
ments.
Pepys on "The Virgin Martyr"
How does Pepys do it? I
finally found the entry / was
looking for: FEB. 81, 1868.
With my wife to the Kings
House, to see the Virgin
Martyr. But that which
did please me beyond any,
thing in the whole world was
the wind musick when the
angel comes down, which is
so sweet that it ravished me,
and, in a word did wrap up
my soul so that it made me
really sick, just as l have for
merly been when in love with
my wife; that neither then, nor
all the evening going home.
and at home, I was able to
think of any thing. but re-
manned all night transported,
so that l could not believe
that any musick hath that
real command over the soul
of a man as this did upon
me; and makes me resolve to
practise wind-musick, and to
make my wife do the like"
Mrs. Pepys suffered the sorry
lot Of the spouse of a music
lover, for the year before we
find her at her weary music
lesson: Being returned home,
I find Greeting, the flageolet-
master. come, and teaching
my wife; and I do think my
wife will take pleasure in it,
and it will be easy for her
and pleasant. So to the Office,
and then before dinner making
my wife to sing. Poor wretch!
Her ear is so bad that it
makes me angry, till the poor
wretch cried to see me so vexed
at her, that I think 1 shall
not discourage her so much
again, but will endeavor to
make her understand sounds,
and do her good that way;
for she has q great mind to
learn. only to please me. :"
Pepys had previously been
more interested in the instruc-
ton Of his servant-girl, Mer-
Ger, for In 1865 he writes:
Thence home; and to sing
with my wife and Mercer in the
garden: and coming in I find