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diff --git a/37353-0.txt b/37353-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e09a718 --- /dev/null +++ b/37353-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4430 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Stories of Great Musicians, by +Kathrine Lois Scobey and Olive Brown Horne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Stories of Great Musicians + +Author: Kathrine Lois Scobey + Olive Brown Horne + +Release Date: September 8, 2011 [EBook #37353] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES OF GREAT MUSICIANS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Karina Aleksandrova and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + + STORIES OF + GREAT MUSICIANS + + BY + KATHRINE LOIS SCOBEY + AND + OLIVE BROWN HORNE + + AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY + NEW YORK CINCINNATI CHICAGO + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY + KATHRINE LOIS SCOBEY AND OLIVE BROWN HORNE. + + ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL, LONDON. + + GREAT MUSICIANS. + + W. P. 22 + + + + +PREFACE + + +That the purpose of the public schools is the training of children for a +higher citizenship, a more extensive helpfulness in affairs pertaining +to the common good, no one questions; but we need expect no +manifestation of a greater integrity, unless lofty ideals are kept +constantly before them. Neither painter nor sculptor can produce a +greater expression of beauty than that which has been built up in his +own consciousness; no individual can produce a greater expression of +manhood or womanhood than that which he holds in his own mind. It is +important, therefore, that a high standard be set for the children in +our schools to-day. + +The question then arises as to how this result may be attained. +Educators agree that the study of biography is a potent factor in the +achievement of this end. A new field for biographical study is found in +the lives of the great musicians, who furnish many examples of untiring +effort and persistent endeavor, for almost without exception their lives +repeat the oft-stated but none too often emphasized verity that success +comes only to him who earns success. + +We trust that this little volume may aid the many who are striving to +enrich the thought concepts of the children under their care. + + K. L. S. + O. B. H. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + JOHN SEBASTIAN BACH 7 + + GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL 17 + + WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART 33 + + FRANCIS JOSEPH HAYDN 57 + + LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN 71 + + FELIX MENDELSSOHN 93 + + FREDERICK CHOPIN 115 + + ROBERT SCHUMANN 133 + + FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT 149 + + RICHARD WAGNER 159 + + + + + +JOHN SEBASTIAN BACH + +(1685-1750) + +THE CHILD MUSICIAN + + +[Illustration: JOHN SEBASTIAN BACH] + +Long ago, in a little German town, lived a jolly old miller. From +morning till night he sang about his work, for he loved music dearly. He +had learned to play upon the lute, which is an instrument with strings. +The miller used to take his lute with him to his work. He was fond of +playing while the merry clacking of the mill beat time for him. + +This miller was the great-great-grandfather of John Sebastian Bach, who +said of the miller, "The grinding of the corn and the music of the lute +must have sounded merrily together." + +John Sebastian Bach was born in Germany, as were most of our great +composers. His father was a musician. All his uncles and cousins were +musicians. His grandfather, too, was a musician. So it is not strange +that the child wished to become one also, for he grew up among people +who cared for little else besides music. + +In his native village little John worked and played, went to school, and +studied music much as other German children did. Here, too, he marched +through the streets with his playmates, singing hymns. For centuries it +had been the custom for the school children to sing in the streets. + +John was left an orphan at the age of ten, and went to live with his +eldest brother in a neighboring town. In his new home he continued his +studies. Besides his school work, his brother gave him lessons on the +piano. The brother, an organist, had a book in which he had copied many +fine compositions. He kept it on a high shelf in a bookcase. + +Little John had learned so rapidly under his brother's instruction that +soon he could play almost as well as the organist himself. However, he +was eager to know more about music. He thought, "If only I could use my +brother's book, I could learn faster." But he was not allowed even to +touch it. He used to look at it and long for it as it lay upon the high +shelf. + +One night, when the house was dark and still, John arose from his bed +and crept softly downstairs. Standing tiptoe on a chair, he succeeded +in obtaining the treasure. How happy this made him! + +He could scarcely keep from laughing aloud at his good fortune. Hugging +the book close in his arms, he scampered back to his room. He wished to +copy every note of the music, but he had neither lamp nor candle. He +could work only by the light of the moon, so it was six months before +his task was completed. + +At school John studied arithmetic, grammar, Latin, and Greek. There, +too, several hours each week were spent in the study of music. The boy +had a sweet soprano voice and was always happy when the time for music +came. The school choir often sang at church services and weddings. +Clearer and sweeter than any other could be heard the voice of little +John. + +The lad learned something about organ playing during the next few years. +These were years filled with hard work; but they were happy years, +nevertheless. He no longer sang in the white-robed choir, but devoted +his time to the piano, violin, and organ. + +In the olden days there stood in Hamburg a church, named for the good +St. Katherine. The organist of this church was a man of great skill, +whose fame had spread throughout the land. Even little John Sebastian +Bach had heard of him, and longed to hear him play the great organ at +St. Katherine's. + +One fine morning he started to make the long journey on foot. The lad +little knew how tired he would become before he reached Hamburg. Once +inside St. Katherine's, however, he forgot his weariness and his bruises +and the long miles of dusty road over which he had traveled. He thought +of nothing but the wonderful music. + +John was not satisfied with hearing the great organist once. Several +times he went to Hamburg, walking all the way. Once, when returning from +a visit, he was walking along the highroad, and came to an inn. Being +very hungry, he put his hand into his pocket and drew forth one small +coin. That was not enough to buy him a dinner. + +He seated himself outside the door to rest. The odors of the dinner +coming from the kitchen made him hungrier than ever. Some men at dinner +in the inn saw the forlorn little figure outside the door. They guessed +how tired and hungry the boy must be. "Poor little lad," they said to +one another, "let us give him a surprise." + +Meanwhile, John Sebastian had made up his mind that he must go on. He +was just rising to his feet, when a window was thrown open and two +herrings' heads were tossed out. He ran to pick them up. Imagine his +surprise to find in each a shining piece of money. + + +BACH IN PUBLIC LIFE + +At an early age, John Sebastian Bach began to earn his own living. He +had no thought of earning it by any other means than music. When he was +eighteen, he obtained a position where he played the violin in the +duke's band. He was greatly pleased with court life. His grandfather, a +musician, too, as you will remember, had once lived at the same court. + +Young Bach did not remain a year in the service of the duke. At the end +of summer he accepted a position as organist in a small town. From 1703 +until 1723 Bach went from place to place as organist and teacher. +Sometimes he was church organist; sometimes he was court musician for +some noble prince. At all times he was poorly paid. Bach often received +no more for a year's work than many men receive for a month's work. + +Although Bach played well on the violin and piano, he was most skillful +as an organist. Indeed, his fame was spreading throughout all Germany. +He often went on journeys to try new organs. On those trips he sometimes +played for kings and nobles. + +Once he played an organ solo for the crown prince. The crown prince was +greatly pleased with Bach's pedal solo. Would it not seem strange to +hear music and to see the hands of the musician at rest? That was what +the prince heard and saw. When the beautiful music had died away, he +drew from his finger a ring set with precious stones. He gave it to the +musician, saying, "Never before have I listened to such a wonderful +organist." + +In 1717 a noted French organist came to Germany. In his own land, people +thought there was no better organist than he. The Frenchman traveled +through Italy, and found no one there to equal him. When he arrived in +Germany, he played for the king and was highly praised. The proud +Frenchman then thought that no one else in the world could play so well +as he. + +Now it happened that Bach had a friend at court, who had heard the +French organist play. He said to himself: "Bah! our own German organist +can do much better than that. I will invite him to come to Dresden and +we will have a contest." + +So he wrote to Bach, who at once set out for Dresden. Soon after his +arrival, a royal contest was held. The musician from France played +first, and, to speak truly, he played well. Then Bach came forward. When +he had finished, the applause was great, and all his friends felt sure +that he would win. + +It was decided to continue the contest the next day; so the king named +the time and place. Promptly at the appointed hour, Bach appeared. The +large audience waited impatiently for the Frenchman. At last they sent a +messenger for him; but he could not be found. He had left Dresden early +that morning. + +The people said to one another, "Surely, the Frenchman is afraid to meet +our great Bach." "France has no musicians to equal those of our own +land." Bach played so wonderfully that morning that the king afterward +sent him a hundred pieces of gold. + +Before Bach's time, pianists and organists used only the three middle +fingers in playing. Bach taught all his pupils to use the thumb and +little finger as well. Some of the music books that he wrote for his +pupils are still in use. + +It was the custom, long ago, for organists to write the music which was +sung in their churches. For this reason, many of Bach's compositions are +sacred music. + +When Bach was thirty-eight years old, he and his family moved to +Leipzig. Here he had a position as choir master of the Thomas School. +The salary was very small, and the work was hard. It was Bach's duty to +teach music to all the boys who attended the school. + +Part of his work in that city was to direct the music in four churches. +He trained the boys of the Thomas School to sing sacred music. Every +Sunday they were divided into four choirs, one choir singing in each +church. + +Once upon a time Bach paid a visit to King Frederick the Great. It +happened in this way. Bach's son had for seven years been in the service +of the king as a musician. The king was very fond of music and played +well upon the flute. He had often said to young Bach, "How much I should +like to know your good father!" + +The son always repeated the king's words to his father, saying, "Father, +will you not come to the palace and pay me a visit?" "Some day I will +go," was the reply. And one day the great organist kept his promise. + +Every evening before supper the king had music in his rooms. At these +concerts the king himself played the flute. One evening the musicians +were all in place, ready to begin. An officer came in. He handed the +king a list of the strangers who had arrived that day. Holding the flute +in his hand, Frederick the Great glanced hastily over the names. Halfway +down the list he stopped, for he saw the name _Bach_. Without reading +further, he turned quickly to his orchestra, saying, "Gentlemen, old +Bach has come." + +Bach, who had gone to his son's rooms, was summoned to the castle. He +had not time even to change his traveling clothes for a court dress. +What a strange appearance he made as he came among the gentlemen of the +court! + +Frederick the Great received the master musician with much kindness, and +led him through all the rooms of the castle. The king asked him to play +the piano. The court musicians followed them from room to room. Whenever +Bach played, the king stood behind his chair, exclaiming, "Only one +Bach! Only one Bach!" + +When the great musician returned to Leipzig, he composed some music in +honor of his royal friend. + +On the 30th of July, 1750, at the age of sixty-five, the "Father of +Music" passed away. Very little notice was taken of his death. No choir +sang hymns at his funeral; no cross ever marked the spot where he was +buried. + +Almost a hundred years after Bach's death, Felix Mendelssohn began to +play his music. Then people began to appreciate and love the old master. +They were sorry that so little had been done for him. Through the +efforts of Mendelssohn, a monument was erected in Leipzig to Bach's +memory. + +Even if no monument had been erected, we should honor his name. His +works are his best monument and will last as long as people love music. + + + + +GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL + +(1685-1759) + +THE WONDER CHILD + + +[Music: (The Messiah.) He shall feed His flock like a shepherd.] + +It is a bright, sunshiny morning. In an old town in Germany a coach +stands waiting before the door of a surgeon's house. The horses are +impatient to begin the journey. They toss their heads and paw the +ground. The driver speaks sharply, trying to quiet them. + +Presently the house door opens. An old gentleman comes out and seats +himself in the carriage. He waves his hand and calls good-by to a little +boy on the steps. The coach door slams and the horses are off. + +For a moment the child gazes through his tears at the departing +carriage. Then, with a bound, he is off as fast as his sturdy little +legs will carry him. The boy does not seem to mind the heat and the dust +as long as he can keep the carriage in sight. + +When the first stop is made, the boy appears before his father. "Why are +you here, my son? Did I not bid you remain at home?" "Oh, father," +pleads the boy, "I want so much to see the castle. Do take me with you!" + +The child is so earnest and promises so faithfully to be good that the +father places him on the broad seat beside him and away they go. Through +streets and lanes and highways, from one town to another, they journey +on, until they come to the wonderful palace of the duke. + +The surgeon has come this long distance to visit his grandson, who is a +servant in the palace. The travelers intend to remain in the castle +several days. + +The child became a favorite in the duke's household. He made friends +with the members of the duke's choir, who allowed him to go to chapel +with them. Sometimes they lifted him on the organ bench and bade him +play. + +One Sunday afternoon, when he was playing, some people entered the +chapel. Among them was the duke, the owner of the castle. The child paid +no heed to the duke and his friends, but went on with his playing. "Who +is making such sweet music?" said the duke. When he had gone a few steps +farther, he saw before the organ a boy but seven years of age. He called +the child to him and said, "What is your name, little one?" "I am +George Frederick Handel," answered the boy, trembling. + +The duke spoke kindly to the little fellow, soon winning from him his +secret. The lad told his new friend how dearly he loved to play and how +much he should like to study music. He finished by saying that his +father would not allow him to spend his time in that way. + +The duke filled the little musician's pockets with shining gold pieces +and called the father. He urged the surgeon to allow his son to study +music. For a long time the two men talked together. At last the surgeon +said that a teacher should be found for the boy as soon as they reached +home. + +George Frederick Handel was born in Germany, in 1685, on the 23d of +February. Although the weather was cold and stormy, the babe was carried +the very next day to the church and there baptized. According to the +Lutheran custom, the child had a godmother and two godfathers. + +When he was still very young, the parents of the child noticed that he +was fond of music. Little George Frederick liked toys that made a noise. +His friends made him presents of drums and horns. He learned to play a +Jew's-harp and a flute. + +At first, the father laughed at the childish music. When he saw that +the boy cared for nothing else, he said that he wished to hear no more +music in the house. Indeed, he would not even allow George Frederick to +go to any house where music could be heard. The old surgeon wished his +son to become a lawyer. + +Although music was forbidden, George Frederick loved it more than ever. +Every day the chimes in a neighboring church gladdened his heart. +Several times each week he heard sacred music sung from the church +tower. + +The chimes and the tower music were a great comfort to little Handel. +About this time, too, he was made happy by having a spinet of his own. +With the help of his nurse, he hid his instrument in the garret. + +A spinet is somewhat like a piano. The wires of little Handel's spinet +were wound with cloth. This so deadened the sound that his father could +not hear it. George Frederick spent much time in the garret, and often +went there to practice when every one else in the house was fast asleep. + +[Illustration: _Margaret Dicksee_ + +THE CHILD HANDEL] + +All this happened before the visit to the duke's castle. When he +returned, his father kept the promise made to the duke by choosing a +teacher for the boy. George Frederick and his teacher soon became the +best of friends. The lad worked hard, and at the end of three years +could play the organ, violin, and harpsichord. + +Young Handel's teacher was a church organist. When he went away, he +often allowed the boy to take his place. The boy improved so rapidly +that at length his master declared he could teach him no more. + +Little Handel had many studies besides his music. Although his father +had allowed the boy to study music, he still wished him to become a +lawyer. He was greatly pleased when he saw how earnestly the lad worked +at his Latin and mathematics. + +George Frederick began to compose when he was only ten years old. After +his master had said he could teach him no more, young Handel continued +his studies. He learned much by copying works from the old masters. + +In 1696 George Frederick took a long journey, going with some friends to +Berlin. The prince and princess invited the wonder child to the court +because they liked music. The child surprised and delighted all who +heard him play. "How long have you been studying that you have learned +to play so well?" asked the prince. "For three years," replied the lad, +"and I have the kindest teacher in all Germany." + +In the great German capital little Handel met many famous musicians, one +of whom was an Italian monk. His own father could not have been kinder +to the child than was this priest. He took delight in teaching the boy +and listened to his playing by the hour. + +The prince was proud to count the little musician as his friend. He +wrote to Handel's father, saying: "I am willing to send your son to +Italy at my own expense. There he shall have the very best teachers." + +The surgeon was delighted that George Frederick had so pleased the +prince. He thanked him for his kindness, but said, "I am now an old man +and can not spare my boy." + +Soon after this, young Handel returned to his native town. He had not +been long at home when his father died. Remembering his father's wish, +the boy studied law until he was seventeen. + +While Handel was studying law at the university, he was organist in a +large church. So well did he perform his duties that he became famous +for his music. Strangers were glad to be in the town over Sunday, that +they might hear him play. + + +HANDEL'S EARLY WORK + +[Illustration: GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL] + +In 1703 Handel decided that music should be his life study and work. He +left the university and went to Hamburg. There he obtained a position in +an orchestra. It was a poor place, and he was paid very little. The +other members of the orchestra never suspected that he could fill a +better place. + +One day the leader of the orchestra was absent. The musicians planned to +play a joke upon Handel. "Come," said they to him, "you lead the +orchestra to-day." They laughed merrily among themselves as he took his +place. "Now we shall have some fun," they said to one another. Imagine +their surprise when Handel conducted the orchestra even better than the +leader could have done. + +While Handel was in Hamburg, he wrote four operas. Although he was not +well paid for the work, he saved some money. He was very generous, and +took great pleasure in sending Christmas gifts to his mother. + +After two years of hard work in Hamburg, Handel had laid aside enough +money to take him to Italy. In 1706 he said good-by to his friends and +set off on his journey across the Alps. For three years he lived under +the blue Italian skies. During that time he learned to speak the +language of the country. He worked hard and wrote opera after opera. + +In Florence his first Italian opera was given. It was listened to with +the greatest delight. The grand duke was so much pleased that he +presented Handel with a hundred pieces of money and many other valuable +gifts. + +From fair Florence, the young musician went to Venice, the city of +bridges and gondolas. The Venetians soon grew to be as fond of him as +the Florentines had been. They spoke of him as the "dear Saxon," because +he came from that part of Germany which is called Saxony. + +One evening Handel was invited to a masquerade. He planned to disguise +himself so that no one should know him. He might have succeeded had it +not been for one thing. He went to the masquerade, and for some time not +a single person knew him in his strange costume. Finally he seated +himself at the harpsichord, the room becoming quiet as he played. Some +one was heard to exclaim: "None but the great Saxon could play like +that! It is Handel!" + +Whenever his operas were sung in Venice, the theater was packed. One +night every seat was filled. The audience was eager for the music to +begin. At the end of the first act there was a storm of applause. +During the remainder of the opera, at every little pause in the music, +the building rang with shouts of, "Long live the good Saxon!" + +In the spring of 1710 Handel returned to Germany. He paid a visit to his +mother, but did not stay long. In Italy he had made many English friends +who invited him to visit London. It was about the beginning of December +when he crossed the sea to England. Little did he dream that the +remainder of his life would be spent on English soil. + + +HANDEL IN ENGLAND + +[Music: (Handel's Largo.) Father in heaven, Thy children hear.] + +Handel was twenty-five years old when he went to England. He had not +been there long before he composed an opera. The music of this opera +became very popular. Often when friends met on the street, they said, +"Have you heard Handel's opera?" Soon it was hummed and whistled +everywhere. + +Long ago, the river Thames was well loved by the kings and queens of +England. When they wished to spend a pleasant holiday, nothing was so +enjoyable as a sail down the river. + +One fine morning in August, King George and his family returned to +London after a pleasant day spent on the water. The people had seen the +royal boats floating past in the morning and were ready to welcome their +king on his return. They built big bonfires on the banks of the river. +From time to time salutes were fired. The people crowded the bridges and +banks to see the royal procession. + +Soon the boats of the king came in sight. How the banners waved and how +the flags fluttered in the breeze! How the water splashed as the oars +rose and fell! "That must be the king's own boat that we see yonder!" +shouted the people. "Yes, there is the king under that crimson canopy!" + +But hark! the sound of music comes floating gently across the water. How +soft is the melody in the still night air! Whence come those sweet +sounds? + +Not far from the royal barge are several boats filled with musicians. In +one of the boats stands a young man, the leader of the musicians. He +must have trained them well, for the fine music attracts the attention +of the king. + +"Who is the leader of the musicians?" asks the king of one of the +gentlemen near him. "It is Handel, your Majesty," replies the courtier. +"And did he compose the music which we now hear?" asks the king. "Yes, +your Majesty," is the reply. + +The people on the banks of the river become quiet as one piece of +beautiful music after another is heard. King George thinks that each is +better than the one that preceded it. At last, when the royal barge is +no longer in sight, the sweet sounds die away. + +The next day the king invited Handel to the court and asked him to +become the teacher of the young princess. He also promised the composer +that he should receive two hundred pounds sterling every year. It was +not unusual in those days for a king to settle a sum of money upon a +poet or musician. + +One day Handel walked out into the country. He was caught in a shower +and found shelter in a blacksmith's shop. The jolly old smith was +singing at his work and beating a tune upon the anvil as he sang. The +composer caught the clanging music of the hammer on the anvil. When he +went home, Handel put the tones that he had heard into some music, which +he called _The Jolly Blacksmith_. + +By the year 1726 the composer was so much pleased with England that he +decided to live there. He sometimes went back to Germany to visit; but +England was his home. + +During the first years that Handel lived in London, he composed many +operas. Great crowds of people went to hear them sung; sometimes twenty +dollars was paid for one seat. Sometimes hundreds of people were turned +away from the theater. King George and Queen Caroline often attended the +operas. That was a great honor for Handel. + +It is not as a composer of operas that George Frederick Handel is +remembered to-day. Indeed, if he had written nothing but operas, we +should hear little of him now. In 1741 he composed an oratorio more +beautiful than any other that has ever been written. It is called _The +Messiah_. If Handel had written nothing but this one oratorio, his name +would live forever. + +The music was composed in twenty-four days. _The Messiah_ means _The +Christ_. The words which are sung to Handel's music are taken from the +Bible. The music is so wonderfully written that one scarcely needs the +words to know the story. + +While Handel was composing the music of _The Messiah_, he thought much +of the life of Christ. His heart was filled with sorrow when he thought +how He was crucified. The words of one of the solos speak of Christ as +"a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." When Handel was writing +the music for these words, a friend, coming in, found him in tears. + +Some one once asked Handel how he could write such beautiful music. He +replied, "While I was writing _The Messiah_, I did think I saw all +heaven before me and the great God himself." + +There are many choruses in _The Messiah_. The one best liked is the +_Hallelujah Chorus_. When _The Messiah_ was first sung in London, the +king was present. He listened in silence to the wonderful music. When +the _Hallelujah Chorus_ was reached, he rose and stood with bowed head. +The whole audience followed his example. This has now become a custom. +Whenever and wherever _The Messiah_ is sung, the people rise and remain +standing until the last Hallelujah has died away. + +Handel was fifty-six years old when he wrote _The Messiah_. The +remaining eighteen years of his life were filled with work. He wrote +many other oratorios. In the year 1752 the master musician became blind. +In spite of his blindness, he worked on, dictating many pieces of music, +while some one wrote for him. + +His misfortune did not make Handel sad. He was still cheerful and happy, +and was never heard to complain. Until the end of his life he carried on +his work. + +George Frederick Handel died in London in 1759, and was laid to rest in +the Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey. Now the soft light from the +great rose window falls gently upon a marble statue of the musician. + +The statue represents Handel standing and looking upward. Upon the +marble table beside him is carved a sheet of music from _The Messiah_. +Here may be seen the words of one of the most beautiful parts of the +oratorio:-- + +[Music: (The Messiah.) I know that my Redeemer liveth.] + + + + +WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART + +(1756-1791) + +THE CHILD MOZART + + +Far, far away over land and sea lies the little town of Salzburg. What a +beautiful place it is! Old Mother Nature herself has given it its charm. +The town lies in the midst of a smiling plain. On one side are the +forest-clad hills, dark and green. Behind the town rise the mountains, +steep and rugged. As the great white clouds float across the blue sky +above, their shadows are seen on the bare rock of the mountain sides +below. + +Here in 1756, in the home of a musician, a little child was born. The +fair-haired baby boy was very welcome. He was the pet and plaything of +the whole household. His sister Marian was especially fond of him. She +was four years older than her little brother. She looked forward to the +time when he would be old enough to play with her. + +The baby's father was an organist and violinist. He played in the king's +chapel. The child's mother was a beautiful, loving woman. So it is not +strange that little Wolfgang Mozart, for that was his name, became a +musician. + +No two children ever had a happier childhood than Marian and Wolfgang +Mozart. Their father and mother were always planning how to make them +happy. Leopold Mozart, the father, was not a rich man, but his heart was +full of love and tenderness. + +Dearly did little Wolfgang love his father. He never went to bed without +kissing him on the tip of the nose, and singing a little good-night +song. He used to say, "Next to God comes papa." + +Leopold Mozart devoted much time to the training of his two children. +When Marian was quite small, he began to give her piano lessons. The +child learned rapidly. Little Wolfgang, three years old, liked to listen +while his sister was having her lesson. + +One afternoon Marian's father was giving her a music lesson. Wolfgang +stood close to the piano, as he was fond of doing. He was as quiet as a +little mouse. All through the lesson he watched and listened. When it +was over, he surprised his father. He searched for a few moments among +the white keys. Then with his baby fingers he played one of Marian's +exercises. He was only a tiny lad, and yet he played the exercise +correctly. Leopold Mozart caught his little son in his arms, exclaiming, +"Who would have thought the baby understood what I was teaching Marian?" + +Little Wolfgang was fond of games and had many toys. Often some little +friend played with him. Wolfgang was happiest when they had music in +their games. Indeed, he would not play when there was no music. Even +when they carried their playthings from one room to another, the one who +went empty-handed must sing a march. + +When the boy was four years old, his father began teaching him. He +learned music easily, often mastering a piece in half an hour. A year +later he began to compose little pieces, which his father wrote down. + +One day Leopold Mozart came home from church with a friend. He found his +son daubing notes on a sheet of paper. The child dipped his pen to the +very bottom of the inkhorn each time. He made many blots on his paper; +but he was not discouraged. He wiped them off with the sleeve of his +coat and went cheerily on. + +"What are you doing there, my boy?" asked his father. "I am writing a +concerto and have almost got to the end of the first part," replied +Wolfgang. + +The father took the paper and showed it to his friend. They laughed +heartily at first. After a time, however, they saw that it was written +according to rule. The father said, "It is a pity it can not be made use +of. It is so difficult that no one could play it." "It is a concerto," +said Wolfgang, "and must be studied till it can be played properly. See, +this is the way it should be given." Going to the piano, he tried to +play it for them. + +Wolfgang Mozart was the most gentle and loving of children. He would say +many times a day to those about him, "Do you love me well?" Sometimes +they laughingly replied, "No." At this answer, tears would run down the +little fellow's cheeks. + + +MOZART'S FIRST TRAVELS + +Marian and Wolfgang had studied so hard and practiced so faithfully, +that their playing was remarkable. Indeed, they played so well that, in +Wolfgang's sixth year, their father decided to take them to Munich. + +In 1762 they set out for that city, where they remained for three weeks. +Many people attended the concerts which the Mozart children gave. All +who heard them were delighted with their playing. + +Later in the same year Leopold Mozart took his children to Vienna. +Vienna, the capital of Austria, is a larger city than Munich. Part of +the journey was made by boat. How much Marian and Wolfgang enjoyed +seeing the blue waters of the Danube! They could look far away across +the green fields which border the river, to the mountains beyond. + +While the Mozart children were in Vienna they were invited to play at +court. The empress and her husband were great lovers of music. Little +Wolfgang, with his delicate face and large soft eyes, became a great +favorite in the palace. They liked his music too. Sometimes he played +hours at a time for the empress. The emperor called him his "little +magician." + +One day the emperor said in jest to little Wolfgang, "It is not very +difficult to play with all one's fingers. To play with only one would be +far more wonderful." The young musician showed no surprise. Using only +one finger he began at once to play with great clearness. + +He afterward asked that the keys of the piano might be covered. A cloth +was spread over them and he continued to play as well as before. It +seemed as though he must have practiced playing in that way. + +[Illustration: _A. Borckmann_ + +WOLFGANG AND MARIAN BEFORE THE EMPRESS] + +Wolfgang was not at all spoiled by the praise he received. He did not +think of the empress as a sovereign. To him she was only a kind, loving +friend. Sometimes he would spring into her lap, throwing his arms about +her neck, and kissing her. + +The empress had a little daughter called Marie Antoinette, who +afterwards became queen of France. One day, at the palace, Wolfgang was +playing with her. He slipped on the polished floor and fell. Marie +Antoinette helped him to his feet. "You are kind and I will marry you," +he said. + +Before the Mozart children returned to Salzburg, the empress sent them +each a present. To Marian she gave a beautiful white silk dress. +Wolfgang's gift was a lilac-colored suit, trimmed with bands of gold +braid. + +Wolfgang often wore this suit when he played in concerts. With his +powdered curls, bright knee buckles, and little sword, what a picture he +must have made! + +Up to his sixth birthday, Wolfgang had played only the piano. On his +return from Vienna he brought with him a small violin which had been +given him there. He often amused himself with it. + +[Illustration: _Louis-Ernest Barrias_ + +MOZART AS A CHILD] + +A short time afterwards, two friends came to visit the Mozart family. +Both were violinists. Leopold Mozart and his friends were going to +play some new music together. One of the guests was to play the first +violin and the other the second violin. Leopold Mozart played the bass +viol. + +Now you must know that the second violin is the easier part. Wolfgang +asked if he might play that part. His father said, "No, my son, you have +never received any violin lessons. You could not possibly play it well. +Run away now." + +Wolfgang was so hurt at these words that he began to cry bitterly. As he +was going away with his little violin under his arm, one of the guests +said, "Let the child stay and play the second part with me." At last the +father consented. "You may play with us," he said, "if you play very +softly and do not let yourself be heard." + +The music was begun, Wolfgang playing the second part. Soon the +violinist who was playing the same part saw that he was not needed. +Without saying anything, he laid down his violin. The father, too, +noticed how well the child played and shed tears of joy at the sight. + +The picture gives you an idea of the bronze statue of Mozart, made in +1883 by the artist, Barrias. The original is in Paris; but an excellent +copy stands in the Art Institute of Chicago. + + +MOZART IN FRANCE, ENGLAND, AND HOLLAND + +After visiting Vienna the Mozart family spent some months quietly at +home. This time was well used by the children. Never a day went by that +they did not devote many hours to their studies. Their progress was +amazing. In fact they improved so much that their father concluded to +take them on another tour. + +This time they were to go to Paris. The summer after Wolfgang's seventh +birthday, Leopold Mozart set out with his children. They stopped at so +many towns and cities that it took them five months to complete the +journey to Paris. + +They decided to give a concert in Frankfurt, one of the German towns +that they visited. At that time Goethe was a lad of fourteen. He +attended the concert and never forgot little Wolfgang Mozart. Years +afterward the poet wrote, "In imagination I can still see the little man +in his wig and sword." + +The first Paris concert was a great success. The people applauded again +and again. When the children came upon the stage, the men clapped their +hands, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs. In writing about this +very concert to a friend, Leopold Mozart said, "We burned more than +sixty candles." + +At New Year's the Mozart children were presented at the French court, +where they were kindly received by the king and queen. The queen had +Wolfgang placed beside her and talked with him in German. He had the +honor of playing the great organ in the king's chapel. Those who heard +him play both the piano and the organ could not decide which he played +the better. + +The children of a royal family are not often allowed to play with +children of lower rank. The king's daughters admired Wolfgang and Marian +Mozart very much. The princesses and the little musicians had many romps +together in the palace. + +From the French capital the Mozarts went to London. On their journey the +children saw the sea for the first time. They liked to watch the great +waves break against the cliffs. They clapped their hands with delight +when the spray dashed over the rocks on the shore. They liked to run +down upon the beach to meet the incoming waves. "See, brother," +exclaimed Marian, "how the sea runs away and grows again." + +[Illustration: _Carl Herpfer_ + +MOZART AT THE ORGAN] + +The young musicians gave many concerts in London. The English people +were even better pleased with their playing than the French had been. +They were invited to Buckingham Palace, where Wolfgang amazed his +hearers by playing difficult music at sight. + +King George was very fond of music and Handel was his favorite composer. +He was surprised that this little fellow could play much of Handel's +music. One day, at the palace, Wolfgang played while Queen Charlotte +sang. He was very proud to be chosen to play for the queen. + +The queen's music master was a son of the great Sebastian Bach. He took +quite a fancy to little Wolfgang. They became good friends and often +played together. One day Bach took his little friend on his knee and +they played a sonata together. First Bach would play a few measures; +then Wolfgang would play three or four. They continued in this manner +until they had played the whole sonata. Those who did not see them could +not have told that the sonata had been played by two persons. + +In London, Wolfgang Mozart had his first singing lessons. They were as +easy for him as his piano lessons had been. While in that great city he +wrote six sonatas. He sent them to Queen Charlotte, with a little +letter. + +At the end of fifteen months Leopold Mozart and his children left +England. They had been invited by the Princess Caroline to visit +Holland. So once again they crossed the rough English Channel. They +spent several happy months among the Dutch people. The good Princess +Caroline was very kind to them. Wolfgang composed several pieces of +music for her. + +In November, 1765, the child musicians returned from their long journey. +They had been traveling for three years. They had been petted and +honored at all the great courts of Europe. They had received many +beautiful presents, yet they were glad to be in Salzburg once again. + + +MOZART IN ITALY + +After much serious study at home, Mozart went to Italy. His father +thought that it would benefit him to visit that country. Musicians and +artists from all over Europe went there to study. The finest musicians +played in the large cathedrals. No better music could be heard in the +world than in that country. It was worth a journey of many miles to hear +one of the organs, when played by a master. + +Leopold Mozart wished his son to hear this music and to become +acquainted with the great Italian musicians. He hoped that he could +talk with the composers. He told him to visit the art galleries and +study the paintings. All this Wolfgang did and more, too. + +He spent much time in the art galleries. He listened to much beautiful +music and became acquainted with musicians and composers. Besides all +this, he practiced regularly, and he studied French. He spent several +hours each day composing. + +In a letter to his mother, Wolfgang wrote: "To-day I had the pleasure of +riding on a donkey. Every one in Italy rides a donkey, and I thought I +must try it too." In the same letter he asked: "Does my little canary +still sing in the key of G? Is there any one to pet my dog, now that I +am so far away? Take good care of him." + +Wolfgang and his father visited many Italian cities. There were no +railroads in those days, so the father and son journeyed from place to +place in a carriage. That is a slow and very tiresome way to travel, and +Wolfgang sometimes became weary and impatient. Then he would jump from +the carriage and race with the horses. + +Often they stopped at some quaint old inn for lunch. The meal was +occasionally served out of doors. How good the honey and fresh milk +tasted after the long dusty ride! How sweet were the figs and how juicy +the melons! + +After visiting Florence, Verona, and other cities, Leopold Mozart and +his son arrived in Rome. It was the week before Easter. Wolfgang liked +to attend the services held each day in the magnificent cathedrals. He +liked to watch the priests moving softly about the altar. He liked the +faint odor of the incense and the glimmer of the candles. + +When the great organ pealed forth, he forgot all these things. He forgot +even his father, seated at his side. He had never heard such music +before. It seemed to him like music from heaven. + +In some of the churches there was singing as well as organ music. One +day, while in Rome, Wolfgang visited the Sistine Chapel. He heard some +singing that he never forgot. A choir of about thirty voices sang a very +beautiful, yet very mournful, piece of music. + +When the music began, all the candles were burning brightly. As the +singing went on, the candles were extinguished one by one. The chapel +became more and more dim. The choir sang softly and still more softly. +At last not one candle was left burning. No sound could be heard but the +sad, sad music and the sobs of the people. + +Throughout the whole service, the child Mozart sat with clasped hands +and bended head. When the music died away, he arose and walked home in +silence. He went to his own room and wrote from memory the music which +he had heard. + +It is a rule of the Sistine Chapel that only the members of the choir +shall have copies of this music. Many others had asked permission to +copy it. They had always been refused. Many had tried to write it from +memory; but they had always failed. So it was a wonderful thing that +this youth had written the difficult music from memory. When Wolfgang +showed the music to his friends, they could not believe that he had +written it correctly. + +"Let us have a concert," they said. "Let the lad sing the chapel music +for us. We shall hear whether or not he has remembered it correctly." +The concert was held. Young Mozart sang the music from his own copy. It +was perfect from beginning to end. + +While Wolfgang was in Rome, the Pope bestowed a great honor upon him. He +made him a Knight of the Golden Spur. That was one of the greatest +honors that he could have received in Italy. Wolfgang was very proud to +wear the beautiful golden cross. + +From Rome, the Mozarts went to Naples. There Wolfgang gave a concert +before a large audience. When he was in the middle of a sonata, the +people became uneasy. They whispered to one another; they pointed to the +hands of the young musician; they became more and more excited. + +Young Mozart wondered at the noise, yet he went on with the sonata. At +last his father learned the cause of the disturbance and explained it to +his son. He told him that the people believed there was a charm in the +diamond ring which he wore upon his left hand. "If the ring is not a +charm," they said, "how can he play so rapidly with the left hand?" + +When Wolfgang heard this, he laughed merrily and took the ring from his +finger. When he began to play again, the audience thought the music was +even more wonderful than before. + +In 1771 Mozart made a second trip to Italy, and wrote the music for a +royal wedding. The empress was so pleased that she presented him with a +gold watch set with diamonds. On one side of the watch was a beautiful +portrait of the empress. Can you not imagine how proud he was to be the +owner of such a treasure? Do you not fancy that he always kept it? + + +MOZART, THE COMPOSER + +[Illustration: WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART] + +Mozart's boyhood and youth had been filled with sunshine. At many of the +courts of Europe he had been praised and petted. Kings and queens were +proud to be numbered among his friends. The remainder of his life was +not so bright, and he learned how sad a thing it is to be without a home +and friends. + +When Mozart was twenty-one years of age, he set out for Paris, +accompanied by his mother. They traveled in a carriage, as Wolfgang and +his father had done in Italy. On their way to the French capital they +made several stops. Mozart gave a concert in each of the towns in which +they stopped. + +The people of Paris had been so kind to Mozart when he had visited it +long ago, that he expected the same treatment again. In that he was +disappointed. He was now a man and they treated him as a man. + +Mozart was looking for some work as a musician and composer, but found +none. That made him sad. It troubled him, too, that the Parisians were +no longer eager to hear his music; but a still greater sorrow came to +him. His dear mother died in Paris, and Mozart returned to Salzburg +alone. + +During the next few years, Mozart spent much time in composing. Among +his compositions were several operas. An opera is much like a play, +except that all the parts are sung instead of spoken. When a composer +wishes to write an opera, he generally selects some beautiful story or +poem. He then writes music that will help to tell the story. + +In an opera some parts are sung by many voices; others are sung as +solos. The composer must arrange parts of music for women's voices. +Some, too, must be suited to the voices of men. Still other music must +be written for the orchestra. All this requires a musician of great +talent. + +In August, 1782, Mozart married and settled in Vienna. His wife was the +daughter of a musician. Mozart and his wife were always poor; yet they +were very happy. + +Once upon a time Mozart was invited to write an opera for a festival. By +and by the work was all finished except one part for the orchestra. The +singers had learned their parts and all was ready but the one piece of +music. When it lacked only one day of the time when the opera was to be +given, Mozart had not completed his work. + +The day passed by, but nothing had been done. Evening came, and Mozart +had a merry time with his friends. He knew that the music must be +written that night; so he asked his wife to sit up with him while he +wrote it. + +When he grew sleepy, she told him fairy stories. She made the stories of +_Cinderella_ and _Aladdin's Lamp_ so funny that Mozart laughed till the +tears rolled down his cheeks. In spite of the tales he grew so sleepy +that he felt obliged to lie down. His wife promised to call him after he +had slept an hour. + +The hour passed and Mozart was sleeping soundly. Another hour and still +he did not waken. At last, when his wife called him, he arose and began +his work. In two hours he had written a beautiful composition for the +orchestra. + +Mozart was fond of playing at night and often played for hours at a +time. If he sat down to the piano at nine o'clock in the evening, he +seldom left it before midnight. + +In 1785 Mozart's father visited Vienna. He attended a concert given by +his son. He was pleased to see that the emperor was there. Leopold +Mozart watched him to see how he was enjoying the music. At the end of +the concert the emperor rose and, waving his hat, cried, "Bravo, +Mozart!" The father was delighted that his son had won the emperor's +praise. + +While in Vienna, Mozart's father talked with the great musician Haydn, +who said, "I declare to you before God and as an honest man that I +regard your son as the greatest composer I have ever heard." + +This was high praise from so great a man as Haydn. It was a fine +compliment, too, to have the emperor shout "Bravo"; yet Mozart was poor +and often sad. He worked hard and composed much beautiful music. +Sometimes he received no pay for his work; sometimes he was cheated out +of money that he had honestly earned. + +Once the king asked Mozart to write music for a court concert. He put it +off until he had no time to write the part which he was to perform +himself. So he went to the concert with his part unwritten. He placed a +sheet of paper on the piano, and looked at it as if the notes were +written there. + +The king, who was peeping everywhere, happened to look at the sheet of +paper. Surprised to see nothing but empty lines, he said to Mozart, +"Where is your part?" "Here," replied the musician, tapping his +forehead. + +Mozart is best known as a writer of operas. Most of his operas were +composed in Vienna. One of them is called _The Marriage of Figaro_. +Another is named _The Magic Flute_. Many people like it the best of any +opera that Mozart ever wrote. It was composed a short time before his +death. + +Mozart was ill before _The Magic Flute_ was finished. After it had been +completed, he grew much worse. His only pleasure, during his suffering, +was to hear the news of how well the people liked his opera. + +Only the day before his death, he wished that he might hear the music of +_The Magic Flute_ once again. A friend who was with him at the time went +to the piano, and played and sang some parts of it. This seemed to cheer +the sick man greatly. + +On the 5th of December, 1791, the master passed away. No stone marked +Mozart's grave, and to-day no one knows where the great composer was +laid to rest. More than a century after his death, the people of his own +city erected a fine monument in his memory. + +When Haydn heard of Mozart's death, his eyes filled with tears. He +exclaimed, "Oh, my friends, will the world ever find such an artist +again?" Years afterward, when some one spoke of Mozart, Haydn wept +bitterly. "Pardon me," said he, "but I can never hear the name of my +gentle Mozart without breaking my heart." + + + + +FRANCIS JOSEPH HAYDN + +(1732-1809) + +THE CHOIR BOY + + +Once upon a time there lived, in a tiny village in Austria, a +wheelwright and his family. The wheelwright was poor, industrious, and +God-fearing. He lived in a cottage which seemed almost too small for the +large family of children. But they were so happy together that they did +not mind a little crowding. + +The second of the Haydn children was a boy, whom the good old village +priest had christened Francis Joseph. He lived a merry life, romping +with his brothers and sisters. They liked to play about the door of the +shop where their father was making wheels and carriages. + +[Illustration: FRANCIS JOSEPH HAYDN] + +Better than this, they liked the Sundays, when the good father was at +home all day. After dinner they were sure to have some music, and Joseph +looked forward eagerly to this time. The father had a good voice, and +well did he sing the native songs of his country. Although he sang +well, he did not know one note of music from another. + +The wheelwright's wife played the harp while her husband sang. Little +Joseph used to bring his stool close beside his mother to listen as she +played. Sometimes he kept the time by clapping with his chubby little +hands. Sometimes he joined his sweet childish voice with his father's. + +When Joseph Haydn was still very small, he was sent toddling off to +school. When lessons were over and all the rest of the children +scampered to their play, Joseph lingered in the schoolroom. His eyes +grew round with wonder as the master played upon his violin. + +"That is easy," thought the boy; "I will find two smooth pieces of wood +and make myself a violin." And he did. At the next Sunday afternoon +concert Joseph took his place as usual on his little stool; but he +carried the violin, which he had made, in his hands. At the first notes +from the harp he began to move one piece of wood across the other in +perfect time with the music. + +Before Joseph was quite six years old, he was able to stand up in the +choir of the old village church and lead the singing. His voice was not +strong, but it was true and sweet. + +The father was proud of his son. He said to himself: "The boy must be +taught music. Perhaps some day he will become a great musician. If I +were not so poor, I should send him to a teacher." + +By and by a visitor came to the Haydn home. This man was a musician and +the wheelwright's cousin. It was not long before he noticed Joseph's +talent for music. "Let the lad come home with me," he said to Joseph's +father, "and he shall sing in my choir and be taught music properly." + +The father gladly gave his consent. When the mother was asked, she was +at first unwilling. "He is still so young," she said, "I fear that he +will not be well cared for. I have always taught him to be neat and +clean. Away from home he might fall into bad habits. I can not let him +go!" + +The father and cousin begged her to change her mind, telling her that +the boy would learn much about music. They promised that he should be +well cared for. At last she consented and with tears in her eyes made +Joseph ready for his journey. + +Joseph himself, six years old, was not at all sad at parting. He was +very glad to go with his cousin to the great town. He said good-by to +the schoolmaster and his playmates. He went once more to the little +village church and knelt before the good old priest for a blessing. +Last of all he said good-by to his mother. The good woman kissed her son +tenderly and bade him be obedient and faithful in his studies. + +For three years the boy lived with his cousin. On Sundays and feast days +he sang in the choir of the church. On week days he worked hard at his +music and other studies. + +The week before Easter the choir sang each day at the church. On one day +there was a procession of choir boys chanting hymns. A band played while +the boys sang. The drummer could not march in the procession that day, +and Joseph was asked to take his place. Joseph listened carefully as his +cousin taught him how the drumsticks should be handled. + +Having no drum to use, he stretched a cloth over the top of a meal tub +and used that for a drum. On this he practiced until he could beat the +time perfectly. When he had finished he was covered with meal dust, but +he felt sure that he should make no mistake in the procession. And no +mistake did he make. + +When Joseph had been with his cousin about a year, a visitor from Vienna +took dinner with the choir master. The two men had finished their meal +and were chatting together. Said the choir master, "But you should hear +my Joseph sing. I brought him from the country and he is now one of my +choir boys. One afternoon in his father's house I heard him singing and +keeping perfect time with two pieces of wood." + +"Let me hear the lad," said his friend. Quickly was the boy called from +the kitchen. He came into the room and stood, shy and trembling, before +the two men. When his cousin asked him to sing, Joseph forgot his fear. +Back went the little head, out came the notes, clear and true as the +song of a bird. + +When the song was finished, the visitor called Joseph to his side. "Can +you trill for me, my boy?" "No, sir; I have never been taught; but I can +try." Taking the child on his knee, the stranger showed him how to +trill. Then Joseph tried and did well. His new friend was so delighted +with his little pupil that he filled his hands and pockets with bright +red cherries. + +Now you must know that the stranger was none other than the chapel +master of a great church in Vienna. He said to Joseph's cousin, "That +boy sang so sweetly and learned to trill so easily that I want him in my +choir." It was soon settled that the boy should go to Vienna. In a short +time he became a member of the choir in St. Stephen's Church in that +city. + +The boy was eager to learn all that he could about music. If he heard +the great organ when he was at his games with the other boys, he would +leave them at once. He would tiptoe into the dimly lighted church. +Seating himself in one corner, he would not stir until the last echo of +music had died away. + +During all the years that Joseph Haydn was a choir boy in Vienna, he had +very little money to spend. He saved every penny that came into his +hands. When he was thirteen, he bought two books that he might know more +of music. He spent every spare moment in study. + +He learned much about music, but was never taught to compose. This did +not prevent him from trying. Joseph knew that he must study harder than +he had ever done. + +When Joseph Haydn was about sixteen years old, his voice changed. +Because it became harsh and deep, the chapel master no longer wanted him +in the choir. + +One cold winter night he left St. Stephen's Church and wandered through +the streets of Vienna, hungry and without a home. What would have +happened to the poor boy had he not met a friend, we do not know. The +kind friend was a barber, who said, "Our rooms are small and our food is +simple, but you are welcome to both." + +The lonely boy gladly accepted the invitation of the barber and went +with him to his humble home. The room in the attic was indeed small and +poorly furnished. The wind and the rain came through the cracks, and the +snow sometimes sifted down upon his bed. Yet he was not altogether +unhappy there. + +He soon found work and was able to pay the barber for his room. +Sometimes he played the violin at a ball. He liked that because he was +always given a good warm supper afterward. Again he earned a trifle by +giving music lessons. + +Haydn and some other young men often wandered through the streets +playing. They were fond of going out on moonlight nights to serenade +some musician. Haydn often composed the music which the band played. + +One night they went to serenade the leader of the opera. They stood +under his window with their violins. Soon the moonlit garden was filled +with the sweetest music. + +At a pause in the music a window was flung open and out came a +nightcapped head. Loudly spoke a voice, saying, "Who is playing there?" + +"Joseph Haydn." + +"Who wrote the music?" + +"I did, sir." + +The old gentleman came down, saying, "Come with me." He led the way to a +large room where a fine piano stood. He explained to young Haydn that he +wanted him to compose the music for an opera which he had written. Haydn +agreed to do the work, for which he was to receive a hundred and thirty +pieces of money. + +After this, Haydn was no longer poor. He rented a better room, but he +never forgot the barber's kindness. Some years later he married the +barber's daughter, Anne. + +Haydn was fond of a joke. One time, as he and a friend were walking +together, they passed an inn. The sound of music came from within. "Did +you not write that music, Haydn?" said his friend. "Yes," answered the +composer. "Let us enter and have some fun with the players." + +Once inside the inn, Haydn demanded, "Who wrote that music which you are +playing?" + +"Joseph Haydn," was the reply. + +"Well, it is not fit to be heard," said Haydn. + +That made the musicians angry. They became still more angry when they +saw how the two strangers were laughing. The players could not see the +joke, until, as the two friends left the rooms, one of them said, "You +need not mind, for I am Joseph Haydn, myself." + + +THE CHAPEL MASTER + +In olden times a prince often kept an orchestra in his own palace. It +was necessary to have a leader for the orchestra. The leader, who +trained the musicians and wrote music for them to play, was called the +chapel master. In 1761 Joseph Haydn was given a fine position. He became +chapel master in the household of a noble prince. + +This prince lived in a magnificent palace. His friends were the kings +and queens of Europe. When these royal visitors came to the palace, he +entertained them with concerts and operas. + +To furnish such music, the prince needed a large orchestra, and singers +as well. He paid his musicians large sums of money, and treated them +with great care. He required them to dress in white stockings and +powdered wigs. + +It was a part of Haydn's work to train all the musicians in the palace +and to compose music for them. He was also expected to have a new piece +of music ready for the prince each morning. The prince was a musician +himself, and Haydn worked hard to please him. + +For almost thirty years, Joseph Haydn lived in the palace of the prince. +During that time he wrote hundreds of pieces of music. He is best known +for his symphonies and quartets. Every line that he wrote was bright and +cheerful and full of sweet melody. His fame spread throughout Europe. +Visitors who came to the palace went home and spoke of the beautiful +music that Joseph Haydn composed. + +Haydn received invitations from France, Italy, and England, asking him +to visit those countries. He loved the prince so much that he did not +accept these invitations. He felt, too, that no one could take his place +as the prince's chapel master. + +In 1790 the noble prince died. Soon after, an English musician, visiting +Vienna, urged Haydn to go to London. He said that the English people had +long wished to hear him play. Deep in his heart Haydn had always wanted +to visit England, and nothing but his love for the prince had kept him +in Vienna. He decided to make a trip to London. + +The great composer had many friends among the young musicians of Vienna. +One of them was Mozart. He was much younger than Haydn, but they were +the dearest of friends. It was Mozart who first called the great chapel +master, _Papa Haydn_. Soon many of his friends used that name in +speaking of him. + +When Mozart heard that Haydn was going to England, he was very sad. He +said to Haydn, "You are too old a man to make such a long journey. You +do not know languages enough to travel through so many countries." "It +is true that I speak few languages," replied Haydn, "but I know one +language that every one can understand." + +Haydn stayed in London about a year and a half. During that time he +wrote several symphonies and conducted many concerts. At every concert +all the seats were filled. + +Every one in London wanted to see the Austrian composer and to hear his +music. Even the king and queen attended Haydn's concerts. At one of +these concerts, the seats were sold for a guinea apiece. At another, the +ladies were asked to wear their smallest hoop skirts, so that there +should be more room for the crowds that wished to attend. + +During the eighteen months spent on English soil, there was scarcely a +day on which Haydn was not invited out to dinner. He was entertained +even at the royal palace. + +While he was having all these gay times, Haydn spent many hours each day +in hard work. He had not forgotten the lessons of industry his mother +had taught him. His mornings were spent in composing, and he refused to +see visitors before two o'clock. + +One of the greatest pleasures that Haydn had in London was to hear +Handel's music sung. _The Messiah_ was given by a thousand players and +singers. Haydn's seat was near the king. When the _Hallelujah Chorus_ +was sung and the vast audience rose, Haydn burst into tears and +exclaimed, "Handel was the master of us all." + +After his return to Vienna, Haydn wrote _The Creation_. This work has +made his name famous. He said, "While I was composing _The Creation_, I +knelt down every day and prayed to God to strengthen me for my work." + +Every country has its national hymn. The national hymn of Austria is +_God save the Emperor_, written by Francis Joseph Haydn. + +The last time that Haydn left his home, he heard _The Creation_ given. +He was an old man and very feeble. As he entered the hall, all eyes +turned lovingly toward him. Many times, during the evening, storms of +applause filled the hall. Haydn was very much moved, for he knew that +most of it was for him. + +During Haydn's last illness, Vienna was occupied by Napoleon and his +troops. The voice of battle often reached Haydn in his quiet home, but +he had no fears. Napoleon and his officers treated the great musician +with much respect. How Haydn wished that he might shoulder arms and +march against the enemy of his country! + +Haydn died in 1809 at the age of seventy-seven. A short time before his +death, he called his servants to his bedside and asked to be carried to +the piano. There he played and sang the Austrian national hymn, _God +save the Emperor_. + + + + +LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN + +(1770-1827) + +EARLY LIFE OF BEETHOVEN + + +Some day you may be fortunate enough to cross the broad Atlantic and +visit European countries. If you are, you will surely wish to go to +Germany. Many hundreds of travelers go there every year to take a trip +down the Rhine. It is said to be the most beautiful river in all the +world. + +There are many interesting things to be seen on a trip down the Rhine. +On one side green vineyards slope down to the river. On the other side +rocky bluffs rise abruptly from the water's edge. Old castles stand on +many of the bluffs. Some of the castles are in ruins and are almost +hidden by the overgrowing ivy. + +[Illustration: LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN] + +Many are the cities and villages that have been built along the banks of +the Rhine. Some of the cities are quaint and old-fashioned. Bonn is such +a city. The people of Bonn are very proud of a certain low building that +faces a narrow street. They take every traveler to see it. They point +over the door to a tablet on which are carved words meaning, "In this +house Ludwig van Beethoven was born, December 17, 1770." + +Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the great German composers. In fact, +many people consider him the greatest composer that the world has ever +known. Whether this be true or not, certain it is that his music is +loved in every land. Nearly a century and a half has passed since Ludwig +van Beethoven was born in his humble home in Bonn. Ludwig's father was a +singer. He was a good-for-nothing sort of fellow. He never earned enough +money to support his family well. + +He was paid about one hundred and twenty-five dollars a year for singing +in a church. Besides this he made money by giving music lessons. He +spent the little money that he had carelessly. He often spent it for +himself when it was greatly needed by his wife and children. + +Indeed, if it had not been for the good old grandfather, things would +have gone hard with the Beethoven family. As long as he lived, he was a +great help to them in every way. There were several Beethoven children, +but Ludwig was his grandfather's pet and was named for him. + +Ludwig was only three years old when his grandfather died. Well did the +boy remember the old gentleman's scarlet coat and flashing eye. Well did +he remember, too, his love and kindness. + +The mother of the great Beethoven was a patient, hard-working woman. He +never forgot the lessons of truth and obedience he received from her. +Beethoven always spoke tenderly of his mother and never forgot her +patience. When he was a young man, he wrote, "She was a dear, good +mother and my best friend." + +Little Ludwig was hardly out of his cradle before his father gave him +music lessons. While he was still a tiny lad, he was compelled to +practice many hours each day. When he was only four years old, the +neighbors often saw him sitting on a bench by the door, sobbing. He +cried because he knew that he must soon go in to work at his scales. + +Ludwig's father hoped that his son would learn music rapidly. He wished +to have him play in concerts as Mozart had done when a boy. He thought +that in this way much money might be earned. So he kept the lad almost +constantly at work at his music. Ludwig practiced almost all the time +when he was not at school or sleeping. + +The boy studied two instruments, the piano and the violin. At first his +father was his only teacher. But soon a regular music teacher was +employed. The boy practiced hours at a time. When we think how much work +was required of the little fellow, we almost wonder that he did not hate +his music. But this was not the case. On the contrary, he liked it +better than anything else in the wide world. + +By the time Ludwig van Beethoven was ten years old, he had become a fine +organist. He had received some lessons on the organ. His teacher was +organist in the prince's chapel. Once upon a time this man was called +away from Bonn. Wondering whom he could get to play in his absence, he +thought and thought. Finally he said: "Perhaps the boy, Beethoven, could +take my place. I will give him the chance, and we shall see what the lad +can do." + +How proud was the boy when his teacher honored him in this way! He said +to himself: "I must do my very best. I do not want my master to be +ashamed of his pupil." He put forth his best efforts, and every one who +heard him had words of praise for his playing. When the master returned +and heard of it, he said, "Some day this boy will be as famous as +Mozart." + +The organist in the chapel at Bonn did not know how true his words were. +He did not dream that one day the German people would be proud to erect +a monument in Bonn to this same Beethoven. Little did he imagine that +the one word _Beethoven_ would be considered sufficient to carve at the +base of the monument. + +With the other Beethoven children, Ludwig was sent to school. He had +lessons in all the common school studies and in French, Latin, and +Italian besides. + +Early in his teens, Ludwig was appointed second court organist. He was +paid for this work, but the knowledge of great composers which he gained +was worth more to him than the money he received. + +Although in after years Beethoven was untidy, he cared much for dress +when he was court organist. Every one turned to look at the little +fellow in his sea-green coat and white flowered waistcoat. With his hat +under his arm and with his sword at his side, young Beethoven looked +very much like one of the gentlemen of the court. + + +BEETHOVEN IN VIENNA + +The year 1787 was one which Beethoven never forgot. That was the year in +which he first went to Vienna. He was at that time seventeen years old. +For many months he had been longing to visit the Austrian capital. + +For a long time Beethoven had been saving his money to take this trip. +Like all other young musicians of those days, he had a great desire to +study in Vienna. He hoped, too, that he should be fortunate enough to +play for Mozart. In this he was not disappointed. + +You may imagine how happy Beethoven must have been to meet Mozart one +day and to be allowed to play for him. He played selections from the +great composers, until Mozart said: "Many others can do what you have +just done. I have heard that you often compose as you play. Sit down +again and compose for me." + +The young musician was excited, but he was not afraid. He knew that he +should succeed. He had often composed as he played, and felt sure that +he could do it now. For a few moments only there was silence. Then the +boy's fingers moved swiftly over the keys, and the room was filled with +the sweetest music. Not once did the lad falter, not once did he make +the slightest mistake. + +[Illustration: _H. Merle_ + +BEETHOVEN AT THE HOUSE OF MOZART] + +Mozart was astonished. He was amazed that this German boy showed such +skill. He listened for a while in silence; then he arose and tiptoed +from the room. He whispered to some friends, "Keep your eye on this +youth. He will make a noise in the world some day." + +Beethoven had been in Vienna only a short time when he received sad news +from home. A letter from Bonn told him that his mother was dying. He +hastened home, and reached there only a few days before her death. + +Beethoven was very sad. He wrote to a friend, "Who was happier than I so +long as I could speak the sweet name of mother? There is none to whom I +can say it now." + +Beethoven decided to remain in Bonn. He felt that he must do something +to help support the family; so he made up his mind to give music +lessons. + +Among his pupils was a lad from one of the wealthiest families of Bonn. +The mother in this family was a woman of culture and refinement. She +often invited Beethoven to her home and talked with him as his own +mother might have done. + +She gave him the finest books to read. He became interested in the best +writings. He read the poems of Goethe with great pleasure, and was fond +of English poets as well. He spent many hours studying the works of +Shakespeare and Milton. + +For five years Beethoven taught music in his native town. During this +time he made many friends. One of these was a count, and a very good +friend he proved to be. + +After Beethoven's first visit to Vienna he longed to go there again. His +friend, the count, had often heard him express this wish. The gift of a +piano and some money from the count helped Beethoven to obtain his wish. + +In 1792 he went to Vienna to study music. He became the pupil of Haydn. +He did not have many lessons from that teacher, for Haydn soon left the +city. + +When Mozart was twenty-five he had published nearly three hundred +compositions. Beethoven at the same age had published almost none. After +his arrival in Vienna, however, he began to write down some of the +beautiful music which filled his mind. These compositions won for him +many friends among the families of rank in Vienna. + +Princes and nobles vied with one another in entertaining him. They saw +in him a musician of great promise. They were proud that such a composer +had chosen Vienna for his home. They appreciated his music and were +always glad to hear it. + +Scarcely a day passed that Beethoven did not play in the home of some +person of wealth. During the first few years that he spent in Vienna, he +did not appear in concerts. He played only in the homes of his friends, +where his symphonies delighted all hearers. + +Beethoven was an eccentric man. His friends were people of fashion, but +he cared little for style. In fact, he was often untidy in his dress. +His clothes were loose and ill-fitting. His hair was long and unkempt. +His aristocratic friends were polished and courteous in their manners. +Beethoven was impolite and even rude at times. + +In spite of all these faults, his friends were fond of Beethoven. It has +been said of him, that he "never let go of what seemed to him the +right." He was honest and sincere in all that he did. He was +warm-hearted and generous. For all these things he was loved. + +Among Beethoven's friends was a prince. He and his wife lived in a +beautiful palace and kept many servants. They invited Beethoven to live +with them. He was a member of their household for several years. + +[Illustration: _C. Schloesser_ + +BEETHOVEN IN HIS STUDY] + +The prince had four musicians in his home. These men played together to +entertain the prince, the princess, and their friends. Beethoven +devoted much time to the training of these musicians. He spent many +hours in teaching them the works of the famous composers. + +Those years in Vienna were filled with hard work for Beethoven. He +learned to play upon many instruments. He studied the horn, viola, +violin, and clarinet. He did this that he might know better how to write +music for the orchestra. + +The citizens of Vienna were a music-loving people. Many of them had +never had an opportunity of hearing Beethoven play. They were anxious to +listen to some of his own compositions; but he did not like to play +before a large audience. At last he appeared in public. In 1795 he gave +several concerts. One of these was for the benefit of Mozart's widow and +children. + +When Beethoven was about thirty years old, a sad misfortune befell him. +He realized that he was becoming deaf. He tried the best doctors, but +they could do nothing for him. His deafness slowly increased. + +When the musician first knew of his deafness, he told no one. He seldom +went to the homes of his friends, for he could not bear to have them +know that he was deaf. + +Beethoven was never happier than when he was in the country. He spent +all his summers there. Every day he wandered for hours through the +woods. When he became deaf, he wrote to a friend, "It makes me sad to +think that others can hear the notes of a far-off flute or a distant +shepherd's song, and I can not." + +To another friend he wrote: "My deafness troubles me less here than +elsewhere. Every tree seems to speak to me of God. How happy am I to +wander through the cool paths of the forest! No one can love the country +as I do!" + +Even though he was deaf, Beethoven sometimes tried to lead the +orchestra. One time a symphony of his was played at a concert. Every +seat in the large hall was filled. Beethoven took his place, and at a +signal from him the music began. It was the Ninth Symphony. The people +listened in silence to the beautiful music. When the last note had died +away, the room was perfectly quiet for a moment. Then a storm of +applause broke forth. + +Beethoven, with his back to the people, did not hear it. He knew not +that his symphony had so greatly pleased them. The clapping grew louder +and louder. Then one of the musicians touched Beethoven upon the arm. He +turned and saw what he had not been able to hear. As the deaf musician +bowed, the eyes of many were filled with tears. + +Beethoven often went to the park when he wished to write. There, in the +thickest part of the wood, some of his most beautiful music was +composed. He sat in the fork of an old oak and wrote, sometimes a +symphony, sometimes a sonata. + +The master was once invited to try a new organ in a large monastery. A +few friends went with him. When they arrived, the chapel was almost +empty. No one could be seen except a few monks at their prayers and some +peasants sweeping out the long aisles. + +Beethoven went at once to the great organ. At first the music was soft +and sweet. Gradually the tones grew richer and fuller. The music rose +and fell until the beautiful tones were echoed from every corner of the +shadowy chapel. + +Little by little, the church, at first so empty, became filled with +groups of black-gowned monks. Beethoven had no thought of the silent, +listening people and they had no thought of him. The heavenly music had +turned their thoughts to God. The lips of the monks moved in prayer, and +the peasants, before so busy, had dropped their brooms and were standing +with folded hands and bowed heads. + +Beethoven was a hard worker. Strange to say, the greater part of his +work was done after he became deaf. He often rose at three in the +morning to write a concerto or a symphony. Sometimes he worked far into +the night, composing a sonata or a serenade. His published works number +several hundred pieces of music. + +The last years of the great master's life were sad. For a long time he +had been unable to hear the notes of his loved piano. "He, the maker of +sweet sounds, could not hear his own voice, or catch the words that fell +from the lips of those he loved." + +During his last illness Beethoven found great comfort in reading music. +A friend sent him some of Haydn's compositions. Beethoven passed many +pleasant hours reading them. He found much comfort, too, in Schubert's +_Songs_. + +Beethoven died in 1827. A few days before his death he said, "I shall +soon go upon the long journey." His last words were, "I shall hear in +heaven." + + +THE MOONLIGHT SONATA + +(Adapted) + +It happened at Vienna. One moonlight evening, in early summer, a friend +called upon Beethoven. He said, "Come, let us walk together in the +moonlight." Arm in arm the two friends strolled through the city. In +passing through a dark, narrow street, Beethoven paused suddenly. +"Hush!" he said. "What sound is that? It is from my sonata in F. Hark, +how well it is played!" + +It was a mean little dwelling before which the two friends paused to +listen. The music went on. Almost at the end of the beautiful sonata, +the music ceased, and low sobs were heard instead. A girl's soft voice +said, "I can go no farther. It is too beautiful. I have not the power to +play it as it should be played. Oh, what would I not give to go to one +of Beethoven's concerts!" + +"Ah, my sister," said another voice, "why wish for that which you can +not have? We can scarcely pay our rent." + +"You are right," answered the girl, "and yet I wish for once in my life +to hear some really good music." + +"Such a wish will never be granted," said her companion. + +Beethoven looked at his friend. "Let us go in," he said. + +"Go in! Why should we go in?" + +"I will play for her," said the master, in a low tone. "This girl has +the soul of a musician. I will play for her, and she will understand." +Without waiting for an answer his hand was upon the door. + +As the two friends entered the room, they saw a pale young man sitting +by a table making shoes. Near him sat a young girl. She was leaning +sorrowfully upon an old-fashioned harpsichord. Her long golden hair fell +over her neck and shoulders. Both the young man and the girl were very +poorly dressed. Both started and turned toward the door as the strangers +entered the room. + +"Pardon me," said Beethoven, "but I heard the music and was tempted to +enter. I am a musician." + +The girl blushed, and the young man appeared annoyed. "I also heard +something of what you said," continued Beethoven. "Shall I play for you? +Shall I give you a concert?" + +Beethoven's manner was so friendly and his voice so kindly that a smile +took the place of the frown on the young man's face. The four, who but a +moment ago were strangers, became friends at once. + +"Thank you," said the shoemaker, "but our harpsichord is so poor and we +have no music." + +"No music," echoed Beethoven. "How then does the young lady play so--" +He stopped suddenly, for the girl turned her face toward him, and for +the first time he saw that she was blind. + +"I beg your pardon," he stammered, "but I had not noticed before. Then +you play by ear?" + +"Yes, entirely," the girl answered. + +"And where do you hear music, since you attend no concerts?" asked +Beethoven. + +"I used to hear a lady practicing near us. During the summer evenings +her windows were often open, and I walked to and fro outside to listen." + +The girl seemed shy, so Beethoven said no more. He seated himself +quietly before the harpsichord and began to play. Never before had +Beethoven played as he played that night for the blind girl and her +brother. From the moment that his fingers began to wander over the keys, +the very tone of the instrument seemed to grow sweeter. + +The brother and sister were silent with wonder. The young man laid aside +his work, and the girl sat perfectly quiet. She leaned forward a little +as if afraid lest she might miss a single note of the sweet music. + +Suddenly the flame of the one candle wavered, sank, flickered, and went +out. Beethoven paused. His friend rose quietly and threw open the +shutters. A flood of soft moonlight filled the room, so that it was +almost as light as before. The moonbeams fell brightest upon the piano +and the player. + +But the music had stopped. The master's head dropped upon his breast, +and his hands rested upon his knees. He seemed lost in thought, and sat +thus for some time. + +At length the young shoemaker arose. Eagerly, yet timidly, he approached +the musician. "Wonderful man!" he said in a low tone, "who art thou?" + +One of the composer's rare smiles flitted across his face. "Listen!" he +said, and with a master's touch he gave the opening bars of his own +sonata in F. + +The girl seemed to know that no one but the composer of the music could +have played it so well. "Then you are Beethoven," she exclaimed. +Beethoven rose to go, but they begged him to stay. "Play to us once +more--only once more." + +He again seated himself at the piano. The moon shone brightly through +the window. Looking up thoughtfully to the sky and stars, he said, "I +will compose a sonata to the moonlight." Touching the keys lightly, he +began to play a sad and lovely melody. The music filled the room as +gently as the soft moonlight creeps over the dark earth. + +Then the time changed. The music became brighter and more rapid. One no +longer seemed to see the moon gliding through fleecy clouds. Instead, +one thought of sprites and fairies dancing merrily together. + +Once again the music changed. The notes were as rapid as before, but +they seemed fraught with sadness. It was such music as fills the heart +with wonder. + +"Farewell to you," said Beethoven, pushing back his chair and turning +toward the door. "Farewell to you." + +"You will come again?" said the brother and sister in one breath. + +He paused and looked tenderly at the face of the blind girl. "Yes, yes," +he said, "I will come again and give you some lessons. Farewell! I will +come soon again." His new friends followed him in silence and stood at +the door until he was out of sight and hearing. + +"Let us hasten home," said Beethoven to his friend. "I must write out +that sonata while the music is still in my mind." When they reached +home, Beethoven seated himself at once and began to write. He worked +until daybreak. When he had finished, he had written the _Moonlight +Sonata_. + + + + +FELIX MENDELSSOHN + +(1809-1847) + + +If you were to go into the woods and hear the rustling of the leaves, +the singing of the birds, and the babbling of the brook over the stones, +could you come home and describe these things by playing on the piano? +Without saying anything, could you tell your mother what you heard? +Could you make the piano talk for you? Could you make it babble as the +brook did? Could you make it sing the songs of the birds? + +[Illustration: FELIX MENDELSSOHN] + +There once lived a child in Germany who could do all this. His name was +Felix Mendelssohn. He loved to go into the woods. When he returned, he +would go straight to the piano. At such times his sister Fanny loved to +hear him play. When he had finished, she would say, "Oh, Felix, did a +bird sing like that to-day?" + +[Illustration: _Poetzelberger_ + +SONGS WITHOUT WORDS] + +This brother and sister lived in a beautiful home. Their father was a +rich banker. He liked to buy things that he thought would please his +children. Their mother was a gentle woman, who enjoyed music and could +play the piano well. She could speak many languages. + +Felix had a dear old grandfather. The child used to climb on his +grandfather's knee and beg for a story. The one he liked best told how +he got the name _Mendelssohn_. "Long, long ago," the grandfather would +say, "I lived in a small town in Germany. My father was a schoolmaster, +whose name was Mendel. Every one in the village knew Mendel, the +school-teacher. I used to go about a great deal with my father. When +people saw us coming, they would say, 'Here is Mendel and here is +Mendel's _sohn_, too.' So as I grew up, I was not called Moses Mendel, +but Moses Mendelssohn." + +The child Felix understood then that his last name meant, "the son of +Mendel." His first name means "happy," and he was well named. There +never lived a brighter, sunnier-tempered little lad. + +Felix's mother was his first teacher. She began to give her children +music lessons when Felix was only three years of age and Fanny was +seven. At first the lesson lasted for five minutes; but as time went on, +the lessons were made longer. + +Soon they had other studies. They rose every morning at five o'clock and +began their work. Besides their music and drawing, they had all the +studies that you have and foreign languages besides. Do you not think +they were busy little people? When Felix was eleven years old, he could +speak French, German, and English. + +Though he studied hard, he was a jolly boy. After being hard at work +writing his music, he would run into the garden, clearing high hedges +with a leap. He could climb a tree as nimbly as a squirrel. Felix and +his little friends played all sorts of games in the big garden. + +Of all his playmates Felix had none so dear to him as his sister Fanny. +The two children were always together, and told each other all their +secrets. Felix thought there was no one so kind and patient as Fanny. +Fanny thought Felix was the dearest little brother in the world. She +often helped her brother with his music. + +A composer is one who writes music. Felix became a composer while he was +still a small child. When he was eleven, he had composed sixty pieces of +music. He had a teacher who helped him with his compositions. This man's +name was Zelter. He was very proud of Felix, for he had no other pupil +who made such progress. + +All of the Mendelssohn children liked music. They had a concert every +fortnight at home. At these concerts, Fanny played the piano, Paul the +violin, and a younger sister sang. Some of their friends often helped by +playing other instruments. When several instruments are played together, +there must be a leader to beat the time. This task fell to Felix, and he +liked it, too. + +Let us imagine that we are at one of the concerts. See, Felix is so much +smaller than the others that he mounts a stool, so that the players can +see him more plainly. Now they are ready to begin. See how the eyes of +the little leader shine! He tosses back the waving black hair from his +shoulders. When he raises his arm, the playing begins. How beautiful it +is! Can it be that the little Felix has composed this music? Yes, for +when the music has stopped and the clapping has died away, his mother +says, "Never before, my son, have you written such beautiful music." + +The father, too, was pleased with these concerts. He often invited his +friends to come in and listen. Mr. Zelter was always there, and +encouraged the children to play what Felix had composed. + +Although Felix was born in Hamburg, he spent most of his life in Berlin. +In 1825 his father bought a beautiful home in that city. There was a +garden of seven acres. Fine old trees shaded the lawn. The house had +many beautiful rooms. The one Felix liked the best was his mother's +sitting room, which had three arches opening into another. The hall thus +formed would seat many people. What a fine place for the family +concerts! + +Felix was a wonderful performer on the piano. When he was eight years +old, he played better than many people who had studied for years. If his +hands had not been so small, he could have done even better. When the +lad was nine, he played at a concert given in a large hall. + +In his thirteenth and fourteenth years, Felix was very busy with his +studies. He liked to play without his notes. He memorized selections +from the works of the greatest musicians. He was especially fond of +Bach's and Beethoven's music. + +In many of their studies Fanny did as well as Felix. How they enjoyed +working together! They loved each other more and more as the years went +on. Felix cared for no other praise so much as Fanny's. + + +GOETHE AND MENDELSSOHN + +All American children know and love the poet Longfellow. All German +children know and love the poet Goethe. When Felix Mendelssohn was a +little boy, Goethe was an old man. Many times Felix heard his father and +mother speak of the great German poet. Often Felix and Fanny read his +poems together. + +You remember that Mr. Zelter taught Felix music. Mr. Zelter and Goethe +were great friends. Sometimes they wrote letters to each other; +sometimes the music teacher visited the poet at his own home. In the +letters Mr. Zelter often spoke of his pupils in music. Once he wrote: "I +want to show you my best pupil. May I bring him to your home?" You will +guess, of course, that the "best pupil" was Felix Mendelssohn. + +After a few days the answer to the letter came. The poet said that he +should be pleased to see Mr. Zelter and his pupil. Felix had not known +that this visit was being planned. His teacher had told him nothing +about it until the answer from Goethe arrived. Felix danced up and down +for joy when he heard about it. He ran to tell Fanny the good news. He +promised to write and tell her all about his visit. + +The parents were overjoyed at their son's good fortune, and made +everything ready for the journey. In the fall of 1821 Felix and his +teacher left Berlin. The lad was only twelve years old and had never +been away from home before. He wished very much that Fanny might go with +him. Before he started, his mother gave him good advice. As he kissed +her good-by, he promised to remember all that she had told him. + +Felix was so anxious to see the great poet that he was glad when the +journey was over. He stayed more than a fortnight in Goethe's house. +Every day he played for his friend, who was delighted at his skill. +Sometimes he played for two hours without rising from the piano. + +Felix received many letters from home. In one of these his father +said:-- + + "My dear Son: + + "Keep a strict watch over yourself. Be very particular in your + behavior at meals. Speak clearly and to the point. Take pains to + use the correct word. I have no need to remind you to obey your + friend, for you are a good boy." + +One day Felix received a letter from his mother. How pleased he was. She +said: "Would I were a tiny mouse, to have an eye on my Felix far away! I +should like to see how he behaves as an independent lad. Snap up every +word that falls from Goethe, for I want you to know all about him when +you return." + +While Felix was away from home, he sent many letters to his parents. He +wrote long letters to Fanny, too. In one letter he told what great +friends he and Goethe had become. He said: "Every morning I receive a +kiss from the great German poet. Every afternoon I have two kisses from +my friend and father, Goethe." + +Goethe was very much pleased with his little visitor. Felix was happy +too. He liked to rise bright and early in the morning. What frolics he +and the poet's grandchildren had in the great garden! They romped and +ran all the morning, but in the afternoon Felix played for Goethe. + +Goethe's friends often came to hear Felix play. One morning, at eleven +o'clock, the child was called in from the garden. When he entered the +music room, he saw a number of guests, among whom was a prince. Felix +was asked to give them a little music. + +Quickly he went to the piano, and opening it, played a few simple +melodies. His listeners were charmed. Pleased with their praise, the +little musician played on and on. The more the guests heard, the more +they wished to hear. They begged the child to go on; so he played the +music of his favorite composers for them. The perfect quiet of the room +showed how much the company were enjoying the sweet music. The boy's +happy face told how much pleasure it was giving him. From eleven in the +morning until ten in the evening Felix played, with only two hours' +rest. + +Another time Felix played for other guests. Goethe said: "Well, come, +you have played only pieces you know. Now we will see whether you can +play something that you do not know. I will put you on trial." He went +out and came back with a roll of music in his hand. He said: "Now we +will try you. Do you think you can play this?" + +He placed some sheets of music on the piano. The notes were very small +and closely written. The music was far from easy reading, but Felix +played it, not making the slightest mistake. Indeed, one might have +thought that he had practiced it for years. + +All the people clapped their hands, except Goethe, who said: "That is +nothing. Others could read that too. Now I will give you something you +can not do. Take care!" + +He laid another paper on the piano. It certainly did look strange, for +the notes looked like splashes of ink. Felix was surprised and laughed +merrily, saying, "Who wrote that, Father Goethe?" + +Just then Mr. Zelter came up behind Felix and looked over his shoulder. +"Why!" he exclaimed, "that is Beethoven's writing. One can see that a +mile off. He always writes as if he used a broom-stick for a pen and +then wiped his sleeve over the wet ink." + +The boy kept his eyes on the music. Goethe said: "I told you that you +could not do it. Now begin." Without a word Felix began, and played it +through once. He stopped several times, saying, "No, not that way." When +he had finished he exclaimed, "Now I will play it to you." The second +time not a note was missing. + +Once three members of the king's band were invited to Goethe's house. +Mr. Zelter took them to the music room, where sheets of music were +scattered all about. The musicians examined them. The notes were written +in a firm, neat hand. On every sheet was the same name, Felix +Mendelssohn. The musicians had never heard of such a composer, yet they +thought that the music was fine. + +The three men took their instruments from their cases. While they were +busy tuning them, Felix came springing into the room. He was a +handsome, bright-looking boy, with clear and sparkling eyes. His waving +black hair fell over his shoulders. After looking about him for a +moment, Felix went forward and cordially shook hands with each of the +musicians. + +Goethe had come in with Felix. Pointing to Mr. Zelter, he said: "My +friend has brought with him a little gentleman from Berlin. He has +already given us great surprise as a musician. We wish now to see if he +can compose as well as he plays. Will you help me?" Turning to Felix, he +gently stroked the lad's long, glossy locks, saying, "Let us hear what +this young head has thought of." + +The boy took his notes at once, and gave each of the musicians a part. +The little composer looked at the players with sparkling eyes. They laid +their bows on their strings, and the performance began. + +When it was finished and the musicians laid down their instruments, +Felix sprang up. He looked eagerly about him, for he wanted to hear +something about his work. Goethe said: "Excellent, my boy! You have only +to look at the faces of these gentlemen to see that your piece has +pleased them. But they are waiting for you in the garden." Without a +word, the boy left the room. + +After he had gone, the musicians began to talk of Felix. One of them +said, "Did young Mendelssohn compose the music that we just played?" +"Surely, a child could not have done such work," said another. They +turned to Mr. Zelter, who said, "Felix did the work entirely alone." + +Felix never forgot the time spent under Goethe's roof. It was the +beginning of a long friendship. When he went home, he had much to tell. +The next autumn the boy paid a second visit to Goethe. He was +accompanied by his father, mother, and sister Fanny. Goethe was happy to +see his young friend again. + +They had not been in the house long, before Goethe went to the piano and +opened it. He said, "Come, and wake up for me all the winged spirits +that have long slumbered here. You are my David. If I am ever ill and +sad, you must banish my bad dreams by your playing. But you may be sure +that I shall never throw a spear at you as Saul did at David." + +After that Felix visited Goethe many times. They often wrote letters to +each other, and at holiday time they exchanged gifts. In 1832, when +Felix Mendelssohn was twenty-three years old, the great poet died. + +[Music: (Elijah.) If with all your hearts ye truly seek Me, + +Ye shall ever surely find Me.] + + +MENDELSSOHN'S TRAVELS AND WORKS + +You must not think that Felix spent all his time in visits and +pleasures. Indeed, his vacations came seldom and were very short. Most +of his time was spent in hard work. He had learned to draw and paint +nicely. He could speak French and English as well as his own language. +He was fond of reading English books. He admired the works of Sir Walter +Scott. As he especially liked to study Shakespeare's writings, he read +his plays again and again. + +When he was seventeen years old, he wrote one of his most beautiful +compositions. It is called _Overture to Midsummer Night's Dream_. Young +Mendelssohn and his sister had been studying this play of Shakespeare's. +They were delighted with the fairy story. If you could hear the +beautiful music of the overture, you might imagine that you were in +fairyland. You might fancy that you heard the songs of the elves and +woodland sprites. + +Young Mendelssohn's father believed that much could be learned from +travel. When Mendelssohn was about fifteen, he traveled in France and +Switzerland. Soon after he was sixteen, his father took him to Paris, +where he made the acquaintance of several great musicians. From these +men he learned much that was of value to him. + +When he was twenty years old, he decided to devote all of his time to +music. He had spent considerable time in traveling. He had studied so +hard that he might have entered a university, had he wished. From that +time on, he was to earn his living as a musician. + +One day his father said: "My son, you have decided to be a musician. In +what city do you intend to carry on your work?" Mendelssohn did not know +where he wished to live. His father said: "Do not decide at once. Travel +in different countries of Europe. Visit the large cities, and become +acquainted with the great musicians; then make up your mind where you +can best do your work." + +So in April, 1829, Mendelssohn went to London and stayed until November. +English people were delighted with his music. At one concert the +_Overture to Midsummer Night's Dream_ was played. They thought that they +had never heard such music before. They often invited Mendelssohn to +play in the large churches. He played the great organ in St. Paul's +Cathedral. + +Before he returned to Germany, he visited Scotland, as he wished to see +Sir Walter Scott. Mendelssohn was charmed with the scenery of Scotland, +and made many sketches while in that country. He wrote home, "When God +Himself paints the landscape, it becomes strangely beautiful." + +While in Scotland, Mendelssohn visited some islands near the coast. He +had a stormy voyage on the Atlantic, but at last he reached land. On one +of the islands is a noted cavern called Fingal's Cave. Mendelssohn +visited this wonderful spot. He had never seen anything like it before. +The cave was dark and filled with echoes; the gray sea moaned among the +pillars of the cavern. The wind seemed to sigh and sob as it swept +through the empty passageways. Mendelssohn often spoke of his visit to +Fingal's Cave. + +When he returned to Berlin, his sisters asked Felix to tell them +something about the noted cave. "It can not be told, only played," he +replied, and straightway seated himself at the piano. The music that he +played told his sisters how the waves dashed against the rocky walls. It +described to them the moaning and sighing of the wind. Later the music +was written down. It is called the _Fingal's Cave Overture_. + +After several months spent in England, Mendelssohn returned to Berlin. +After a little while, he went to Italy, visiting Rome, Venice, and +Florence. He worked daily at his music. He visited the art galleries. He +enjoyed meeting the leading musicians. + +From Italy Mendelssohn journeyed to Switzerland. From there he went to +Paris, where the _Midsummer Night's Dream Overture_ was played. Leaving +France, he went once more to London. While he was in the great English +city, the first book of _Songs without Words_ was printed. + +"How could there be a song without words?" you ask. Just as Felix, long +ago, told in music the story of his walk in the woods, so now he told +other stories with other music. One of the airs in the first book of +_Songs without Words_ is called the _Hunting Song_. What do you suppose +you could hear in that music? + +Mendelssohn visited England many times. In the year 1842 he met Queen +Victoria. The queen's husband, Prince Albert, invited Mendelssohn to +visit the palace, for he wished him to try his organ. The great musician +accepted the invitation and went to the palace. + +[Illustration: _Copyright, 1901, by Photographische Gesellschaft_ +_Carl Röhling_ + +QUEEN VICTORIA, PRINCE ALBERT, AND MENDELSSOHN] + +While they were talking, the queen entered. "Goodness, what confusion!" +she said. The wind had littered the room with sheets of music. She knelt +down and began to pick them up, Mendelssohn and Prince Albert helping +her. Then Mendelssohn began a song. Before he was through the queen and +the prince joined in. The queen then sang alone one of Fanny +Mendelssohn's songs. Turning to the composer, she said: "Have you +written any new songs lately? I am very fond of singing your music." +This pleased Mendelssohn greatly. + +Soon the queen went to drive, and Mendelssohn's visit came to an end. +Before he left, Prince Albert gave him a beautiful ring, saying, "This +gift is from the queen. She begs you will accept it as a remembrance." + +Mendelssohn played at many concerts. He never would perform a piece that +he had not carefully studied. He used to say: "Whatever is worth doing +at all, is worth doing well. That takes time." + +Mendelssohn's greatest work is an oratorio. Now you must know that an +oratorio is a composition for many voices and instruments. The words of +the songs and choruses are taken from the Bible. This great oratorio, +written in 1846, is called _Elijah_. The words are set to exquisite +music. Ten years before Mendelssohn had written another oratorio, called +_St. Paul_, which is very beautiful also. Even now these two oratorios +are often sung. + +Several volumes of _Songs without Words_ were written. Some of the +daintiest and most beautiful music Mendelssohn ever wrote is found among +these songs. One of the loveliest and best known of them all is the +_Spring Song_. Have you ever heard it? + +Mendelssohn used music as we do words. Once a young English girl put +some roses and carnations on the piano for him. The sweet flowers +pleased him. He thanked the thoughtful giver in a little musical poem. + +When he was in London, he received news that his sister Fanny was to be +married. Mendelssohn could not go to her wedding; so he wrote her a +letter. It did not express the thoughts that he had in mind. He tore the +letter in pieces and composed some music, which he sent instead. + +Fanny Mendelssohn had great talent as a musician. She composed some +pieces of music, some of which were published. Do you remember that +Queen Victoria sang one of her songs? Fanny Mendelssohn died when she +was forty-two years of age. If she had lived longer, perhaps the world +would know more about her music. + +When Mendelssohn heard of his sister's death, he was heartbroken. He +felt that his best friend was gone. He remembered how her acts of +kindness had brightened his life. He recalled her words of appreciation +and cheer. + +Mendelssohn once had a visitor whom he entertained for a while by +showing his statues and pictures. Then he said, "Now let us go to an +open-air concert." He led the way to a lonely corner of the garden, +where a nightingale was pouring out its soul. "He sings here every +evening," said the great musician, "and I often come to listen. I sit +here sometimes when I want to compose." + +Mendelssohn enjoyed hearing his own music. Some young people once +planned a concert for him. He was so delighted and so eager to hear it +that he and his lovely young wife arrived much too early. While his +songs were being sung, his whole face beamed; his eyes sparkled with +pleasure. He called out after each song, "Again, again, please once +more." They had to sing the _Lark's Song_ three times. + +In 1847, when he was thirty-eight years of age, Felix Mendelssohn died. +His own life was a beautiful one, and he filled the lives of his +friends with love and sunshine. He once wrote a little verse of poetry +which shows the spirit of his life:-- + + "Love the beautiful, + Seek out the true, + Wish for the good, + And the best do." + + + + +FREDERICK CHOPIN + +(1809-1849) + +A POLISH LAD WHO BECAME FAMOUS + + +Many famous men were born in the year 1809. We are proud to number among +them several of our own countrymen. President Lincoln was born in that +year and also Oliver Wendell Holmes, the genial American poet. That year +gave birth to England's sweet singer, Alfred Tennyson. Two of the +greatest musicians, also, were born in 1809. They were Felix Mendelssohn +and Frederick Chopin. + +Frederick Chopin was born in that part of the Russian Empire which is +called Poland. Poland, however, has not always belonged to Russia. At +one time it was one of the largest and strongest kingdoms of Europe. The +Poles governed their own country, had their own language, their own +church, and their own flag. All these were dear to the Polish people; +and when, instead, they had Russian laws and saw Russian flags floating +over them, they were filled with sorrow. + +[Illustration: FREDERICK CHOPIN] + +The Poles did not give up their freedom without a bitter struggle. +They have long been famous for their bravery and patriotism. In war the +Polish soldiers fought like heroes. At three different times large parts +of their country were seized by surrounding nations. Still the brave +Poles were happy in the little land that was left, for were they not +free? When even that was lost, they became sad indeed. + +Poland was made a part of Russia before Frederick Chopin was born; but +the Polish people were hoping that some day they might gain their +freedom. The children were taught to love their native land. They +learned the songs that their fathers and grandfathers had sung in +battle. They were told stories of the brave deeds of Polish soldiers. So +it is not strange that every boy and girl in all the land wished to do +something toward gaining Poland's freedom. + +If you saw some foreign flag instead of the stars and stripes waving +above you, should you not wish to do something to restore our banner to +its place? That is just what Frederick Chopin wished to do for the flag +of Poland. + +Poland is a flat country; indeed, the word _Poland_ means _plain_. Here +and there one finds a hill, and there is one range of hills whose peaks +rise a thousand feet above the plain. If we visited Poland in the +winter, we might find the fields covered with snow for months at a +time. The rivers would be frozen and the forests dark and leafless. + +If we visited Poland in the hot summer, we should see many fields of +waving green grain. The wheat, oats, and barley are very pretty as they +sway back and forth in the wind. The fields of flax with their blue +blossoms are far prettier, for they look like a piece of the beautiful +blue sky come down to earth. + +In a Polish village not far from Warsaw lived Nicholas Chopin and his +family. Although many years of his life had been spent among the Poles, +he was a Frenchman by birth. His wife was a noble Polish lady, gentle +and tender. In early manhood, Nicholas Chopin had left France to seek +his fortune in Poland. He had served in the war and had been promoted to +the rank of captain. When the wars were over, he became a tutor in a +noble family. He taught a count's children the French language. + +Nicholas Chopin and his wife lived in a humble little cottage, and were +very happy. They had four children, three daughters and a son. All of +the Chopin children became famous. Frederick won for himself a +world-wide fame. + +When Frederick was a little fellow, he could not hear music without +crying. When he heard the songs of his country, tears filled his eyes. +As the years passed by, he no longer wept at the sound of music. In +truth, he grew to love it more and more, and chose to spend much time in +its study. He liked the piano more than any other instrument. When he +grew to manhood, his taste did not change, and the piano was still his +favorite. Indeed, most of his compositions are for the piano. + +Frederick studied music with two of the best teachers in all Poland. He +began his lessons when very young and learned rapidly. He once said: "No +boy could wish for finer teachers than I had. The most stupid person +could not help learning from them." + +Frederick certainly was not stupid, for he was invited to play at a +public concert when he was not yet nine years old. His good mother was +proud that this honor had been shown her boy. She dressed him most +splendidly in the native costume of Poland. Then, kissing him good-by, +she bade him do his best. + +At the concert, when the lad stepped out to play, all eyes were fixed +upon him. All through the evening the people watched the beautiful child +and marveled at his skill as a player. The modest little fellow did not +dream that his playing was wonderful. He did not know that the people +were interested in the different compositions that he played. He +thought, in his childish way, that they cared only for his pretty +clothes. + +When he returned home, his mother said, "Well, my son, what did the +people like best?" + +"Oh, mother," exclaimed the child, "everybody was looking at my collar." + +When Nicholas Chopin taught the children of the count, he was not only +their tutor, but their friend. Later, when he set up a school for boys, +he retained the friendship of the nobility. On this account Frederick's +playmates were children of high rank. One of his little friends was +Paul, the son of the grand duke. + +Frederick was once invited to the palace to play for the grand duke's +guests. He not only played well, but bore himself as a little gentleman. +For this reason he was often invited to play. + +One day the people in the Chopin neighborhood were surprised to see a +fine carriage approaching. It was drawn by four horses, yoked abreast. +The silver mountings on the harness glittered in the sunlight. A boy, +richly clad in velvet, was seated in the carriage. Beside him sat his +teacher. + +The neighbors wondered not a little what brought the duke's carriage to +their street. They were surprised to see it draw up before the house of +Nicholas Chopin. They were still more surprised when they saw the lad, +Frederick, enter the splendid equipage and drive away. + +A great musician once gave four concerts in the town hall of Warsaw. She +heard much, while in the city, of the talented boy, Frederick Chopin. +She said, "I should like to see this child and hear him play." A friend +took Frederick to visit the musician. She was so pleased with his gentle +ways and fine playing that she made him a present of a watch. On it were +engraved the words, "Given to Frederick Chopin at the age of ten." + +Frederick had no sooner begun music lessons, than he began to compose. +He composed music even before he knew how to use a pen. Often little +melodies ran through his mind, and he wished that he could write them. +He had not yet learned to write, so he asked his teacher to do it for +him. + +When he was ten years old, he wrote a march for the grand duke. The duke +was greatly pleased and had it arranged for the band. When the soldiers +drilled or marched on parade, Frederick Chopin's march was often +played. + +Although Frederick would have liked to spend all his time at his music, +he was not allowed to do so. He went to school every day. His father +often said to him, "I am glad that you do well in your music; however, +you must not neglect your other studies." + +Frederick worked so faithfully in his father's school that, by the time +he was fifteen, he was ready to enter the high school. His favorite +studies were Polish history and literature. He often stood at the head +of his class. Twice, while he was in the high school, he carried off the +prize. + +Wherever Frederick went, his pleasing manners won him many friends. +Indeed, even in after years, he was so thoughtful of others that he made +few enemies. He often said: "My mother is the best of mothers. I can +never forget the training that she gave me when a lad." If the boy had +not remembered his mother's training so carefully, he would not have +been asked so often to the homes of the great. + +He was once invited to spend his holidays with some friends in the +country. Such great fun as he had that summer! There were walks and +drives in the cool, shady forest. There were ponies and prancing horses +to ride. There were birds to watch and flowers to pick. Oh, yes, there +was fun in plenty for the boy! + +One day Frederick went into one of the rooms of his father's school. The +master was not there. An assistant was in charge. The boys had become +noisy and would not heed the commands of the teacher. Young Chopin +noticed how unruly the little boys had become. He said, "If you will be +quiet, I will tell you a pretty story." + +The boys promised. Frederick took his place at the piano, for he meant +to tell them the story--in words? Oh, no, in music. If you had been +there, the music would have told you just as plainly as words, this +story:-- + +Bold robbers set out from their cave in the hills to plunder a house. +Nearer and nearer they come. At last the house is reached, and they +halt. Noiselessly they place their ladders under the windows. They are +just about to enter, when hark, there is a noise within. For a moment +they stand still in their fright. Then off they run to the cave. There, +where all is so dark and still, they lie down. Soon they fall fast +asleep. + +When Frederick reached the end of the story, he played softly and still +more softly. Looking up, he saw that the children, like the robbers, had +fallen fast asleep. + +Alexander I, Emperor of Russia, was once in Warsaw. Frederick Chopin, +who was becoming well known for his compositions, was invited to play +for him. It is said that Alexander was greatly pleased; and in truth he +must have been, for he gave Frederick a diamond ring. + +In the summer of 1826 Frederick went with his mother and sisters to a +watering place. His father thought the young man had been working too +hard and needed a rest. Sometimes he would wander about for hours, +silent and thoughtful. At such times his friends knew that his mind was +upon his music. Often he sat up till midnight working upon a mazurka or +a waltz. He had a piano in his bedroom. Sometimes, when all the +household were asleep, he would spring from his bed, rush to the piano, +and strike a few chords. If the chords pleased the young composer, he +would turn to his desk and write the notes before he forgot them. His +parents thought that all this study, combined with his school work, was +more than Frederick ought to do. So off he was sent for a long holiday. + +While on his vacation, Frederick gave a concert, for which many tickets +were sold. All of the money was given to two children, who had lost +their mother. Frederick's heart had been moved to pity when he heard +their sad story. He rejoiced when he knew that enough money had been +obtained to send the little orphans home. + + +CHOPIN'S EARLY MANHOOD + +It was not until Frederick Chopin graduated from the high school that it +was decided that he should devote all of his time to music. This +decision gave him great joy. He immediately set out with a friend for +Berlin. Of all the music that Chopin heard there, he liked none so well +as Handel's. He met Mendelssohn and many famous musicians during his +visit. + +At the end of a fortnight he returned to Warsaw, making the trip in a +stagecoach. At an inn in a small town the coach stopped to change +horses. The travelers were told that they must wait an hour. Chopin and +his friend took a stroll about the town. Finding it a dull place they +returned to the inn. The hour had gone by, but still no horses were +harnessed to the coach. No guard, bugle in hand, sat upon the high seat, +ready for the journey. + +Entering the inn, Chopin was delighted to find an old piano in one of +the rooms. It did not seem to be a fine instrument, but it proved to be +better than it looked. When Chopin opened it and played a few notes, he +found it to be in good tune. Now that he had found a good piano, he +cared little how long the delay might be. He played on and on, without a +thought of his journey. + +One of the travelers, hearing the music, came and stood in the doorway. +One by one the other travelers gathered about the piano. The sweet +sounds charmed the listeners into silence. One old German even let his +beloved pipe go out. The keeper of the inn and his two pretty daughters +joined the group. Chopin, forgetful of time and place, continued to +play, and his audience, silent and full of wonder, continued to listen. + +They were suddenly startled by a deep voice, "Gentlemen, the horses are +ready." The innkeeper roared at the intruder, and the passengers cast +angry glances at him. Chopin started from his seat, but was surrounded +by his new friends. They begged him to continue his playing. "But we +have been here some time," said Chopin, "we must depart now." + +"Stay and play, noble young artist," cried the innkeeper. "I will +furnish you the fastest horses, if you will stay but a little longer." + +They all pressed round, urging Chopin to remain. Seating himself, he +played even more beautifully than before. When the last tones had died +away, the innkeeper exclaimed, "Three cheers for the young Pole." At +this all joined in and the room rang with their lusty shouts. + +While Chopin played a last mazurka, the ladies filled the pockets of the +coach with wine and dainties. When at last he rose to go, the innkeeper +seized him in his strong arms and carried him to the coach. + +In after years, when Chopin had received the praises of all Europe, he +used to tell the story. He said, "My success in the old inn and the +cheers of those music-loving Germans are dearer to me than any other +praise that I ever received." + +A few months after his return to Warsaw, Chopin visited Vienna. His +friends urged him to give a concert, and at last he consented. The +concert, given in the opera house, was a great success. The people of +Vienna were surprised that a youth of nineteen could produce such music. +They never dreamed that so great a musician could come from Poland. + +Chopin had been at home but a short time when war broke out in Poland. +He was very eager to join the army, but his parents would not give their +consent. Even if he had gone to the wars, he could never have used a +sword. His hands were too small and delicate for such work. + +When Chopin found that he could not fight for his beloved country, he +turned to his music. In a few years he had written scores of +compositions. Few of them have pretty names. He simply called them +waltzes, marches, and mazurkas. + + +CHOPIN IN PARIS + +In 1831 Chopin set out for Paris. He visited a number of cities and gave +many concerts on his way. He was glad to arrive in France, for it was +his father's native country, and he had long wished to visit there. He +had no idea, however, that he should never see Poland again. He little +thought that the remainder of his days would be spent in Paris. + +At the time of his arrival in the French capital, Frederick Chopin was a +young man of twenty-two. He found life a hard struggle in the great +city. He could not sell his compositions, and few cared to hear him +play. He became discouraged and made up his mind to try his fortunes in +America. + +The day before he expected to sail for America, a Polish friend invited +him to spend the evening at the home of a wealthy baron. The homesick +young man accepted the invitation gladly. When asked to play, he charmed +all the company. After his performance, a number of persons came to the +young man to compliment him upon his skill. He was asked by many for +music lessons. His great talent and refined manners made him a general +favorite. + +Soon after he wrote home: "I shall not go to America now, for I am happy +in Paris. I have work in plenty and the best of friends. Among them are +princes and nobles. Many fine musicians have come to me for lessons. +From the praises I receive, I might imagine myself a great artist; +however, no one knows so well as I, that I still have much to learn." + +During these years Poland was in great distress. Many Poles who had lost +both home and fortune went to Paris. Chopin showed great kindness to his +needy countrymen. He was glad to do all that he could for them, often +sharing his lodgings with some homeless Pole. He could not fight for his +country, but he did all in his power for the Poles in Paris. + +Franz Liszt was one of Chopin's intimate friends. One evening, when +several musicians were together, Liszt played one of Chopin's +compositions. As he played, he changed a few notes here and there. When +he had finished, Chopin said, "I beg you, my dear friend, when you play +my music, to play it as it is written or not at all." "Play it yourself +then," said Liszt, rising from the piano. "With pleasure," answered +Chopin. At that moment the wind put out the light. When they were about +to relight it, Chopin said, "No, the moonlight is enough." His hands +then wandered over the keys, and for more than an hour he played so +beautifully that his listeners were in tears. "You are right, my +friend," said Liszt; "such music as yours ought never to be changed, for +you are a true poet." + +A friend once said to the Polish musician, "Chopin, how is it that you +have never composed an opera?" + +"Ah, my friend, let me compose nothing but music for the piano. It takes +a much wiser man than I to compose operas." + +Chopin had brought many compositions with him when he came to Paris. +After the year 1832 he composed very rapidly. Among the music written at +that time were marches, rondos, and mazurkas. These were the things he +loved to write, but the music composed in Paris was far better than that +written in Warsaw. One of Chopin's most noted works is his _Funeral +March_. Its tones are sad and mournful but wonderfully beautiful. + +In 1835 Frederick Chopin visited Germany. He had heard much of Clara +Wieck's skill as a pianist and wished to know her. He met her in +Leipzig, at her father's home. She played for him a sonata of +Schumann's. When she had finished, those present asked Chopin to play. +At first he refused, but they begged so earnestly that at last he took +his place at the piano. He touched the keys with a wonderful, fairylike +lightness, and the tones which came from the piano were pure and +delicate. As in France, so in Germany, he was everywhere hailed as the +greatest master of the pianoforte. + +While Chopin was in Germany, he spent much time with his friend, Robert +Schumann. Together they visited an excellent pianist, at whose home they +spent several hours. Chopin charmed his small audience by his playing. +No sooner had he left than his hostess sent to the music shop and bought +all of Chopin's compositions that could be had. + +When Chopin was about thirty years of age, he lost his health. Hoping +that he might improve, he went to an island in the Mediterranean. +Although he seemed better for a short time, he never regained his +strength. + +The year before his death he visited England and Scotland. He never +liked to play in public, much preferring to play for a few friends, for +a crowd made him timid. However, in London he gave a concert for the +benefit of the distressed Poles. + +Frederick Chopin died in the arms of his sister, in Paris, in the autumn +of 1849. As he lay dying, he asked a friend to sing for him. In low, +soft tones she sang a psalm. When the chant was ended, the great +musician passed away. + +When Chopin was laid to rest, all of the great musicians of Paris +attended his funeral. His own beautiful _Funeral March_ was played. All +who knew Chopin felt that they had lost a gentle and loving friend. + +As a writer of music for the pianoforte, Chopin stands at the head. In +America alone, more of his music is sold each year than was sold during +the whole of his lifetime. + + + + +ROBERT SCHUMANN + +(1810-1856) + +BOYHOOD OF SCHUMANN + + +"Left, face! Forward, march!" Clear rang out the words of the little +commander. Quickly the straight ranks moved across the playground. Back +and forth they marched, every one in step. When the drill was over, the +little general dismissed his troops. Day after day the boy soldiers +drilled on the playground. Each day they chose a color bearer, but the +commander was always the same. Among all the boys, no other made so good +a general as Robert Schumann. Although his manner was gentle, the lads +knew that his orders must be obeyed. + +[Illustration: ROBERT SCHUMANN] + +Robert Schumann was born in a quaint little Saxon town in Germany. His +birthday was the 8th of June, 1810. His father, a studious man, kept a +bookstore in the town. His mother was a good woman, busy caring for her +five children, of whom Robert was the youngest. One of Robert's +grandfathers had been a surgeon and the other had been a minister, so +why it was that Robert cared for music no one knew. But care for it he +did with all his heart. + +He was the happiest boy in all Saxony when his father told him that he +might study music with the organist at St. Mary's. He was seven years +old when he had his first lesson. By the time he was eight, he could +compose dances for his little friends. His teacher was proud of the lad +and often said: "Robert, God has given you a great talent, and very +precious is such a gift. Use it well." + +Robert once thought of a new game, which afterward became a great +favorite with his playmates. The game was once carried on in this way. +Robert went to the piano and played for several minutes. Then, turning +about, he said, "Whom was I describing in that music?" All the children +shouted, "Franz!" That was the very person Robert had in mind, and the +music had told the children very well that it was none other than the +merry, laughing Franz. Then the young musician turned to the piano +again. The music was no longer bright and gay, but low and sweet. When +the last note had been played, the children clapped their hands and +exclaimed: "Robert, you are a capital player. You have told us as +plainly as can be that you were thinking of little Gretchen." + +When Robert Schumann was nine years old, he attended a concert given by +a young English musician. The young Englishman played remarkably well. +Robert had never heard such music before. He wondered if he could ever +be so skillful. "At least," he said to himself, "I can try." From that +moment, the desire to become a musician never left his mind. He always +kept a programme which the pianist had touched, and every time he looked +at it he thought: "Each day I must do my best. I shall succeed in no +other way." + +Sometimes Robert forgot his good resolutions. He had much rather play +pretty tunes than practice his scales. It was not so pleasant to toil +over his lesson as to play the songs that he liked. When he grew older, +he saw the mistake he had made and tried to make up lost time by working +at his music in earnest. + +Robert Schumann was interested in his studies at school and in the games +on the playground, but most of all he was interested in music. He formed +an orchestra which consisted of two violins, two flutes, a clarinet, and +two horns. Robert was conductor of the orchestra and played the piano. +This piano was a fine instrument, a gift to Robert from his father. +When the little leader could find no music which his musicians could +play, he composed some for them himself. + +"Let us do our best with this concerto," Robert often said to the boys +of the band, "that my father may be pleased when he comes." Then, so +interested did they become in the rehearsal, that they did not notice +the father as he came softly into the room. When the concerto was +finished, he said: "You have done well, my lads. Here is some new music +as a reward." + +Once Robert's teacher gave a concert. A chorus of many voices sang a +beautiful piece of music. No orchestra played while the chorus sang; +their only accompaniment was a piano. The audience was amazed to see a +small boy take his place at the instrument and play the accompaniment +with skill. The boy was Robert Schumann. + +While Robert was in the high school, he set the one hundred and fiftieth +Psalm to music. He composed not only the music for the singers, but also +an accompaniment for the orchestra. About this time, too, he often +appeared in public concerts. + +In 1825 Robert's father died. The boy felt his loss keenly, for no one +else had encouraged him in his music as his father had done. His mother +loved him dearly, but she wished that he might become a lawyer rather +than a musician. She hoped that he might graduate with honors from the +law school. She dreamed that her boy might one day become the finest +lawyer in the empire. + + +SCHUMANN A LAW STUDENT + +At last the long course at the high school was completed. Then Robert +Schumann left his native town and journeyed to Leipzig to become a +student of law. He had no desire to be a lawyer, but he loved his mother +too dearly to disobey her wishes. Now Robert should have spent every +moment at his studies, and he knew this all too well. Instead, he spent +many, many hours with his loved instrument or with friends who cared for +naught but music. He did not mean to slight his work, for he had made up +his mind not to disappoint his mother. He wrote her from Leipzig: "I +have no taste for the law. My studies are dry and irksome; but I have +resolved to become a lawyer. When a man determines to succeed, he can +indeed do all things." + +At the time that Schumann was attending the university, Frederick Wieck +was one of the best piano teachers in Germany. Schumann had made rapid +progress with this teacher. He spent more time than ever at the piano +and grew more and more to dislike his lectures at the university. + +After some twelve months spent in Leipzig, Schumann wrote to his mother, +asking permission to go to Heidelberg to continue his studies. He wished +to hear the lectures of one of the most famous lawyers in Germany. Now +you must know that this famous man was also a musician. Perhaps Schumann +knew this and cared more for the music than for the law. At any rate he +was very happy when his mother granted his request, and he left Leipzig +with a light heart. + +Schumann had not had his piano sent to Heidelberg, and he missed it +greatly. Two or three days passed, and he had not once touched an +instrument. One day, while he was out walking, so the story goes, he +passed a music store and saw some pianos in the window. Schumann was a +timid man; but his desire to play overcame all his fears, and he walked +boldly into the shop. Seating himself before one of the pianos, he +played for three hours. At the sound of the sweet tones, the men in the +shop put aside their work and gathered about the musician. Schumann did +not see the group of listeners, did not hear their cries of wonder, nor +notice their applause. His thoughts were far away. + +It was not long before Schumann found lodgings and hired a piano. He was +very happy in his new home. He said to a friend, "I look from my window +and see a splendid old mountain castle. The green hills covered with +oaks meet my view on every side. I feel like a prince, and a real prince +could not ask for anything more lovely than the view from my window." + +Although Schumann had gone to a new city, he retained his old habits. It +was much more pleasant to go to the open piano than to dust-covered law +books. We are told that he practiced seven hours a day, and that the +evenings were spent with music-loving friends. Yes, life was bright and +happy for Schumann then. + +Every moment that he spent among his law books was hard work for +Schumann; but he would practice a sonata or a symphony for hours at a +time and consider it mere play. He was often invited by his friends to +take long drives. Even on these little pleasure trips, he always carried +a dumb keyboard with him. On it his fingers performed the most difficult +passages, as the carriage rolled over the broad avenues of the city or +by the side of some winding stream. + +It was in 1828 that Schumann went to Heidelberg, and in September of the +same year he took a little trip into Italy and Switzerland. He talked +but little of the grand old mountains, the clear Swiss lakes, and the +blue Italian skies. Though he said nothing, the beauty of it all sank +deep into his soul, and every song which he wrote afterwards was the +sweeter for it. + +On this journey Schumann heard some of the greatest musicians of his +time. One of these was a violinist famed for his skill. As Schumann +listened, he thought: "I should be perfectly happy if I could play as +well on the piano as that man plays upon the violin. I need try no +longer to become a lawyer. It is of no use. When I return to Heidelberg, +I shall ask my mother's permission to devote all my time to music." + +The letter was written. Before the mother made reply, she wrote to +Leipzig and asked the advice of Frederick Wieck, Robert's former +teacher. In response he wrote, saying that it might be a good plan to +give Robert six months to show what he could do as a pianist. So it was +decided that Schumann should give up law and study music in Leipzig. + + +SCHUMANN THE MUSICIAN + +In Leipzig, Schumann found lodgings near Wieck's home and again took up +his music studies. He was so anxious to excel that he was willing to +begin with the simplest music, although he could read a concerto at +sight. He practiced even more than his teacher thought was best. The +third finger of his right hand seemed weaker than the other fingers. In +order to make it strong, he fastened it in a strained position and kept +it so for hours at a time. + +Instead of the hand growing stronger, it became crippled. This made +Schumann very sad. He knew then that he could never become a master of +the piano. He did not, however, give up his music, though he could play +so little. The hours formerly spent in practice were now used for +composition. Had it not been for the change in Schumann's plans, perhaps +he would have become famous in Germany only as a pianist, but now the +world knows him as a composer. + +It happened that Schumann met in Leipzig a young girl, who loved music +with all her heart. She was Clara Wieck, the winsome daughter of +Robert's teacher. She had a marvelous talent for music and even when a +child played the piano with remarkable skill. She appeared often in +public concerts and was much petted and praised. Praise, however, did +not spoil her. In fact, each day she became more gentle and lovable. She +and Robert Schumann became fast friends. + +Among Schumann's other friends in Leipzig were some young men. They were +all interested in music and met every evening for study. When a new +piece of music appeared, they discussed its good points. At that time +much poor music was written, and many poor musicians were receiving +praise that they had not earned. The young men knew that this was not +right. They wished that the good musicians might become better known. + +This circle of friends were thoughtful, earnest young men,--friends of +the good, enemies of the bad. They could think of no way to make matters +better. One evening Schumann said to them: "Let us publish a paper that +will help things to grow better. We will boldly speak the truth, and if +a man's work is poor, we will pay no heed to him. If any musician does +well, he shall have our praise." + +As the young men agreed, the paper was started. Robert Schumann was +chosen editor. His articles for the little paper were well written and +he never spoke ill of any one. He once wrote kindly of Mendelssohn's +work. When Mendelssohn saw the article, he said: "I am quite delighted. +Such praise comes from a pure heart. Ten thousand thanks to the man who +wrote this." + +In 1832 Schumann composed his first symphony in G minor. One movement of +this symphony was played at a concert, and the pianist was none other +than the wonder-child, Clara Wieck. The people at the concert often +heard good music, but the girl's playing amazed them. They applauded her +again and again; they waved their handkerchiefs and tried in every way +to show their admiration. + +This symphony of Schumann's was never published. His compositions were +not popular. "As surely as every gleam of sunshine found its way into +Mendelssohn's music, so every shadow found its way into Schumann's." For +this reason many did not care for the music which Robert Schumann wrote. +Still he worked on, not caring for the praises of men. He was happy in +this--that he could express in music the beautiful thoughts that filled +his mind. + +While Schumann had been busy with his paper and his compositions, Clara +Wieck had become a beautiful young woman. Schumann saw her often at her +father's house and grew to love her dearly. In 1840 she became his wife. + +We have told you that Clara Schumann had been called a wonder-child. At +the time of her marriage, she was known as the finest pianist in all +Germany. She played Chopin, Bach, and Beethoven at the concerts which +she gave in many large cities. In all of these places she was highly +praised. + +All of Robert Schumann's best music was written after his marriage. In +one year alone he composed over a hundred songs, and what beautiful +songs they are! In almost every country the songs of Schumann are well +known. Just as Wagner is known as a writer of operas, so Schumann is +known as a writer of songs. Some of his most famous songs are: _The +Stranger_, _Butterflies_, and _The Poet Speaks_. + +Robert and Clara Schumann worked together at their music in their cozy +little home. They were very happy, and home was the dearest spot in the +world to them. Sometimes they made long concert tours, but they always +rejoiced when they could return to Leipzig once more. On one of their +concert tours, they visited northern Germany, Sweden, and Russia. In all +of those countries they met with the greatest success. + +While they were in Russia, they spent some time in St. Petersburg, where +they were invited to court. The royal family and all the nobility showed +them the highest honors; and when Clara Schumann played, she received +the compliments of all. Even the princess came to the Schumanns, begging +them to remain in St. Petersburg. + +Clara Schumann was fond of playing her husband's music. In Russia, the +people liked one of Mendelssohn's compositions better than anything else +that she played. It was the _Spring Song_, one of the beautiful _Songs +without Words_. So delighted were the people when she played it, that +they called for it again and again. The emperor demanded it three times. + +Outside of his own home Robert Schumann was a very silent man. It is +said that he once went to a friend's house, entered the music room with +a friendly nod, went straight to the piano, and opened it, softly +whistling the while. Seating himself, he played a few chords, followed +by a charming melody, closed the piano, and walked out, nodding his head +in a friendly way. Then off he went without a word to any one. + +Although at different times Schumann lived in various cities, most of +his compositions were written in Leipzig. He was a hard worker, in one +year writing thirty pieces of music. Some of his well-known +compositions are _The Pilgrimage of the Rose_, the music for _Faust_, +and the music for Byron's _Manfred_. + +In 1845 Schumann was obliged to leave Leipzig on account of failing +health. He chose Dresden for his home. He heard no music, for his doctor +had forbidden it. He led a very quiet life, seeing few friends. It was +at that time that he made the acquaintance of Richard Wagner. At the end +of the year his health was much improved. He took up his work once more +and wrote his second symphony. + +During the next eight years Schumann wrote many beautiful compositions. +He lost much time, however, on account of ill-health. + +Two years before his death, Schumann and his wife took a trip through +Holland. The composer was very much pleased to find that the Dutch +people knew his music and loved it well. + +On his return to the Fatherland, his health failed utterly. His mind, +which had not been strong for some time, grew weaker day by day. During +the last months of his life he spent much time at his beloved piano. He +died in 1856 and was buried in Bonn. + + + + +FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT + +(1797-1828) + + God sent his singers upon earth + With songs of gladness and of mirth, + That they might touch the hearts of men + And bring them back to heaven again. + + --LONGFELLOW. + + +[Illustration: FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT] + +[Music: (Hark, Hark! the Lark.) Hark, hark! the lark at Heav'n's gate +sings, And Phœbus 'gins to rise.] + +One winter's night in 1797 a little child was born in Vienna. He was +called Franz Peter, and his father was Schubert the schoolmaster. The +home into which the child came was one of poverty. There was a large +family of children to be cared for, and there was but little money with +which to feed and clothe them. + +On the day that Franz Schubert was born in that humble home, Haydn was +sixty-five years of age, and the great Beethoven was a young man of +twenty-seven. Mozart had passed away six years before. Little did +Schoolmaster Schubert and his good wife dream that their little son +would one day make the name Schubert as famous as any of these. + +Famous, indeed, did the family name become through Franz Peter. And +to-day, if you were to visit Vienna, you would find his first home +marked with a gray stone tablet. Carved into the marble are words +meaning _Birthplace of Franz Schubert_. + +Franz started to school when he was six years old. A year or two later +he began the study of music. His teacher soon found that the boy already +knew a great deal. At the close of a lesson one day, he said to the +child, "Who has been your music teacher?" + +"May it please you, I have had none but yourself." + +"How, then, have you learned so much about music?" + +Then the boy told his story. He said that a playmate of his was an +apprentice in a piano factory. Franz often begged to be allowed to go to +the shop. At last his friend said, "You may go with me just this once." +When he was ready to go home, Franz could not be found in the workshop. +The apprentice hurried from one room to another. At last he found the +little lad in the room where the pianos stood. He had been having a +delightful time, picking out exercises on the white keys. Many times +after that he went to the piano factory. Soon he had taught himself all +that most children learn in a great many lessons. + +The boy's singing teacher often said to the schoolmaster, "I have never +before had such a pupil." One day he came to the father with tears in +his eyes, saying, "Whenever I want to teach Franz anything, I find he +knows it already." + +The boy's father was anxious that Franz should become a member of the +choir in the emperor's chapel. Those who sang in the choir first passed +an examination in music. Then they were allowed to enter a school where +music and other studies were taught. + +Franz often saw the choir boys in their uniforms trimmed with bands of +gold, and studied harder that he might one day enter the choir. When he +was eleven years old, he passed the examination. The chapel master said, +"You sing well, indeed, my boy." + +When Franz arose to sing for the chapel masters, some of the boys began +to point their fingers at his poor clothes. Franz could hear them +whispering among themselves, "He must be a miller's son." When he began +to sing, the whispering ceased. The sweet, pure tones filled the great +room and the silence was unbroken. + +One day the chapel master saw some music that Franz had composed. He +said to himself "Franz Schubert is no ordinary child. He must study +composition in earnest. He shall have the finest harmony teacher." + +Franz and his new teacher became fast friends. The lad was eager to +learn, but the master found little to teach. He used to say, "He has +already learned everything, and God has been his teacher." + +During the years that Franz attended the choir school it was his custom +to visit his parents on Sunday afternoon. The schoolmaster and three of +his sons had formed a quartet. The father played the violoncello, Franz +the viola, and the others the first and second violins. + +Although Franz was the youngest, he was the first to notice a mistake. +If it was one of his brothers who made the mistake, Franz would frown. +If it was the father who played a wrong note, no notice of it was taken +the first time. If he played incorrectly the second time, Franz would +smile and say modestly, "There must be something wrong, father." + + +THE WRITER OF SWEET SONGS + +It was in 1813, when Franz Schubert was sixteen years old, that a great +change came into his life. His voice lost its purity and sweetness. He +could no longer reach the high notes with ease. For these reasons he was +obliged to leave the chapel choir. + +The boy knew that he must earn his own living. He became an assistant +in his father's school. There, day after day, for three years, he taught +the little children their A B C's. He did not enjoy his work, and the +moment school was over he busied himself with something far dearer to +him than teaching. Composition was his heart's delight, and he spent all +his leisure time in writing music. + +One of the best compositions of his early years was a mass in F. It was +given in a large church, where Franz went to hear it. It so happened +that his old teacher was there and heard the young man's music with +great pleasure. At the close of the mass, he came hurrying to his +friend, exclaiming, "Franz, you are my pupil--one who will do me much +honor!" + +Teaching and being taught--that was the way in which young Schubert +spent a year or two after he left the emperor's chapel. Teaching the +primer class in his father's school and being taught the science of +writing music was the work which filled his hours. + +Many of Franz Peter's friends spent their leisure time in outdoor games. +Should you not think that young Schubert would have been glad to join +them when school was over? He often wished that he might join his +comrades, but he would say: "No, I can not go. There is much work to be +done." + +Few composers ever spent so busy a year as did Schubert in 1815. Indeed, +it was the busiest year of his life. In those twelve months he composed +church music, operas, symphonies, and a hundred songs. He never wrote +songs more tender or sweet than those written at that period. + +Often, when Schubert read a poem that pleased him, he set it to music. +The words of many of his songs are the poems of some of the best German +writers. He was particularly fond of Goethe's works and set many of his +poems to music. The words of two of Schubert's most beautiful songs, +_The Erl King_ and _Gretchen at her Spinning Wheel_, were written by +Goethe. + +Although Schubert wrote so many beautiful songs, the German people knew +little about them. Perhaps they might never have known them well, had it +not been for a good friend of Schubert's. This man was a singer. He +admired Schubert's songs and sang them well. In fact, he sang them at +almost every concert in which he appeared. He it was who first gave _The +Erl King_ in public. + +There is a story telling how Schubert chanced to write the well-known +song, _Hark, Hark, the Lark_. Returning one evening in July from a long +walk, he strolled into the park to rest. On one of the benches he found +a friend reading Shakespeare. When his friend had finished reading, +Schubert picked up the volume. Idly turning the pages, his eye fell upon +the verses beginning, "Hark, hark, the lark at heaven's gate sings." + +As he read, music fitting the words passed through his mind. Hastily +taking pencil and paper, he drew the staves, and, without once glancing +up, he wrote every note of the music. + +Schubert had only a few friends, but these were near and dear to him. +The "King of Song," as we sometimes call him, was a man unselfish and +true. To the last days of his life he was poor. He never complained, nor +was he sad on this account. + +In many respects, Franz Peter Schubert had a different life from most +other great composers. He never played at the courts of queens and +emperors. He was never given diamonds or other costly presents. He +seldom played at concerts. He never had the joy of hearing his +compositions cheered again and again. He never saw an audience sit +silent under the charm of his music. + +Many songs that Schubert wrote have never been published. Among his +best-known works are _The Wanderer_, _Hedge Roses_, _The Wanderer's +Night Song_, _The Pilgrim_, _Prayer before the Battle_, and the +_Slumber Song_. He also set to music Scott's _Lady of the Lake_. + +We must not forget that, although Schubert is best known as a song +writer, he also wrote much exquisite instrumental music. One of the +loveliest compositions for the piano is the _Serenade_. Many serenades +have been written, but no other is so lovely as Schubert's _Serenade_. + +Although Schubert and Beethoven lived at the same time, they seldom saw +each other. It was during Beethoven's last illness that he first came to +know Schubert's compositions. A friend brought him a number of +Schubert's songs to read, and the master was delighted. In the +procession of friends at Beethoven's funeral, Schubert was one of the +torch-bearers. + +Scarcely a year had passed before Schubert, too, had passed away. He was +buried in Vienna, near the graves of Mozart and Beethoven. A stately +monument marks the last resting place of "The Writer of Sweet Songs." + +[Music: (The Erl King.) Who rides there so late thro' night so wild? + +A loving father with his young child.] + + +HEDGE ROSES + + Once a boy a wild rose spied, + In the hedgerow growing; + Fresh in all her youthful pride, + When her beauties he descried, + Joy in his heart was glowing. + Little wild rose, wild rose red, + In the hedgerow growing. + + Said the boy, "I'll gather thee, + In the hedgerow growing!" + Said the rose, "Then I'll pierce thee + That thou may'st remember me." + Thus reproof bestowing. + Little wild rose, wild rose red, + In the hedgerow growing. + + Thoughtlessly he pulled the rose, + In the hedgerow growing; + But her thorns their spears oppose. + Vainly he laments his woes, + With pain his hand is glowing. + Little wild rose, wild rose red, + In the hedgerow growing. + + --GOETHE. + + +THE WANDERER'S NIGHT SONG + + Night descends in peace o'er the trees, + Each trembling leaflet, e'en the breeze, + Hath slumber blest. + The little birds cease their ev'ning song. + Wait awhile, wait awhile, ere long + Thou too shalt rest; + Wait awhile, wait awhile, ere long + Thou too shalt rest. + + --GOETHE. + + + + +RICHARD WAGNER + +(1813-1883) + +EARLY LIFE OF WAGNER + + +[Music: (Die Walküre.) (Sword Motif.)] + +Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, in 1813. He was the youngest of a +family of nine children. His father died when Richard was only a baby. +Mrs. Wagner was left with a large family of little children to care for. +Her eldest son was a lad of but fourteen years of age. + +After her husband's death, Mrs. Wagner received a small pension from the +government. She was a thrifty little woman and made the best use of +every penny of her small income. It was not sufficient, however, to feed +and clothe her large family of boys and girls. + +[Illustration: RICHARD WAGNER] + +An old friend of the father came to her aid. He helped the Wagner +children in many ways. In 1815 he became their stepfather. Shortly +afterward they moved to Dresden. The children's new father was an actor, +and he had been appointed to a position in the Royal Theater in that +city. In a few years the four eldest brothers and sisters became +actors also. + +The boy, Richard, heard nothing talked about so much as music and the +theater. When he was allowed to go to the theater he clapped his hands +for joy. When his mother thought it best that he should stay at home, he +was sometimes naughty. He would stand in a corner and cry. + +Richard was a delicate child and on this account was greatly petted. Up +to the time that he was nine years old, he had no lessons either at +school or at home. He spent his time with his stepfather. The two good +friends took many long rambles into the woods. On these little trips +Richard took a sketch-book and pencil. His father tried to teach the boy +to draw, but soon made up his mind that Richard would never become an +artist. + +At that time almost every family in Germany had a piano. There was one +in the Wagner household. Richard's mother managed to give her little +daughters music lessons, but Richard had none. He was not even taught +his notes. He sometimes fingered and thumbed the keyboard as every boy +likes to do. The bits of music that he could play he had learned by ear. + +He heard his sisters practicing their music lessons. He liked one piece +that they played better than any other. It was a wedding song. He heard +it played so often, that he could hum it to himself. One day, when +alone, he went to the piano and tried to play it. The first time he was +not pleased with his efforts; but the second time he could play it +perfectly. His mother, overhearing, stopped her work to listen. + +Richard's stepfather was ill at this time. When his wife told him how +well the boy had played the wedding song, he was delighted. Richard was +asked to play it again. He did so, and his father said, "Can it be that +the child has a talent for music?" + +Soon after the stepfather died. As Richard grew to manhood his father's +words came back to him again and again. It was six years, however, +before he began really to work at music. + +In 1822 it was decided that Richard should attend a boy's school in +Dresden. For some time his uncle had been helping the lad with his +lessons. He was to enter a school that he might have more studies. + +School opened on the 22d of December. The Wagner children were all busy +preparing for the Christmas tree. The three days before Christmas were +always such happy days in this German home. Richard did not wish to +begin school until after the holidays; so he coaxed and pleaded to stay +at home. His wise mother would not give her consent, for she did not +wish him to miss even a day at school. But he begged that he might just +help trim the tree, and was allowed to rise at dawn to do his share. + +Richard Wagner always spoke very tenderly of his mother. He called her +his "dear little mother." In after years he said to a friend: "I can not +see a lighted Christmas tree without thinking of my mother. I can not +keep the tears back when I remember how she toiled to give her children +pleasure." + +At school, Greek was Richard's favorite study. He liked history and +geography also. He was a patient worker, and never gave up a point +before he had mastered it. For five years he remained at the school in +Dresden, working so well that he became a favorite with his teachers. +During these years he had a few piano lessons, but made little progress. + +In 1827 Richard's mother moved to Leipzig, and for three years the boy +attended school there. Later he entered the university in that city. + +When Richard was about fifteen years old, he listened to some of +Beethoven's music for the first time. The boy thought the symphonies of +that great composer were the most beautiful that he had ever heard. They +ran through his mind all the day, and he dreamed of them at night. He +thought Beethoven the greatest composer in the world. He longed to be +like him. Richard now decided how his life should be spent; he, too, +would be a musician. + +Then for the first time young Wagner worked at his music in earnest. He +had an excellent teacher who encouraged the boy to do his best. The lad +soon began to write music. Beethoven, the great composer, was his daily +study. He knew much of the master's music by heart. The _Ninth Symphony_ +was his especial favorite. + +[Music: (Siegfried) Siegfried's Horn Call.] + + +WAGNER AND HIS WORK + +The early years of Wagner's manhood were spent in different cities of +Germany. Sometimes he was leader of a chorus. Sometimes he was composing +operas. At all times he had a hard struggle to support himself. His +compositions were not popular, for no one had ever written such music +before, and the people could not understand it. + +[Illustration: _K. Dielitz_ + +SIEGFRIED AND THE DRAGON] + +It was while Wagner was managing an opera company in a small German town +that he was married. He and his wife soon went to the eastern part of +Germany, but did not remain there long. They were heavily in debt. +Wagner was paid little for his work and had no idea how to save his +earnings. + +Stories reached his ears of the large sums of money which composers +received for their work in Paris. He resolved to go to France. In Paris +he met with disappointments and failures. He had wished to have one of +his operas sung there, feeling sure that the French people would admire +his music after hearing it. But the Paris opera company would not even +consent to sing it. + +Then Wagner tried to obtain some position as a musician. He was willing +to take the poorest appointment and do the hardest work, but he failed. +For many months the Wagners, sad and lonely, lived in Paris. + +After three weary years in France, Wagner returned to his native +country. How happy he was to see the land of the Rhine! He said to his +wife, "Is it not good to be in the Fatherland again?" + +When he lived in Paris, he wrote an opera and sent it to Dresden. It was +accepted and the opera company of that city sent for Wagner to come to +take charge of the music. This took place in 1842. Three years before, +he had left Germany because the people did not care for his music. Now, +they were glad and proud to welcome him on his return from France. + +After several weeks, all was ready for the first performance of Wagner's +opera. The theater was crowded. The singers who took part had said much +in praise of the music, and every one was anxious to hear it. They were +not disappointed. Indeed, they all praised it highly, and Wagner became +the hero of the hour. + +Not long after this, another of Wagner's operas was sung in Dresden. It +is called _The Flying Dutchman_. It was so well liked that every one in +the city was glad to honor the composer. That made Wagner very happy. +His life was filled with joy, for he was doing the work that he loved. +How different were these days from those spent in Paris--those days of +hunger and poverty! Now that all was sunshine and happiness, Wagner's +life in France seemed like a bad dream. + +_Tannhäuser_, one of Wagner's greatest operas, was written in Dresden. +Sung for the first time in 1845, it was even better liked than his first +two operas. After it had been given, people stopped the composer on the +streets to give him words of praise. + +The best loved of all Wagner's works is _Lohengrin_. Not only in Europe +is this opera known and loved, but in America as well. + +In 1848 Wagner was obliged to leave the country on account of political +troubles. Switzerland became his home. The beautiful scenery there +afforded the composer much pleasure. The snow-capped Alps could be seen +all about, and in many places clear mountain lakes reflected the blue +skies above. + +Wagner lived in Switzerland about ten years. In that time he composed +several operas. He wrote not only the music for these operas, but the +words as well. The words alone form beautiful poems. Four of the operas +written in Switzerland tell the old fairy story of the gold hidden at +the bottom of the Rhine. Indeed, the first one of them is called _The +Rhinegold_. Richard Wagner put the legend into poetry and then composed +exquisite music to fit the words. + +While Wagner was in Switzerland, the German people were learning to love +his music more and more. You remember that _Lohengrin_ was written just +before he left Germany. At that time it had not been sung. + +[Illustration: _G. Papperitz_ + +RICHARD WAGNER AT BAYREUTH] + +Franz Liszt, a friend of Wagner's, became greatly interested in +_Lohengrin_. Under his direction it was sung in a small town. All who +heard it liked the beautiful story and still more beautiful music. +Soon nearly every one in Germany had heard _Lohengrin_, the beautiful +opera of the Swan Knight. + +Wagner, far from home, was cheered by the news that his opera was well +liked. He longed to hear it himself. He said: "Nearly every German has +heard _Lohengrin_. Soon I shall be the only one who has not heard it." + +After many years Wagner returned to the Fatherland. He and the king of +Bavaria became great friends. The king had heard _Lohengrin_ sung many +times. It was his favorite opera. It is said that he used to dress +himself in armor like Lohengrin's and sail about the lake in a swan boat +for hours at a time. + +The king thought the theaters in Germany were not well built. He thought +that a special opera house should be erected in which Wagner's operas +could be given. Plans were made and a model opera house was built. + +Many people throughout Germany became interested in Wagner's opera +house, as it was called. The money that they gave, with the sum given by +the king, paid for the building. The building, which Wagner himself +planned, is still used, and Wagner's operas are still sung there. + +The last opera that Wagner composed is called _Parsifal_. Many think it +is finer even than _The Rhinegold_ and _Lohengrin_. Like _Lohengrin_ it +tells a story of the Holy Grail. + +In 1870 Wagner was married for the second time. The last years of his +life were spent in Venice, with his wife and children. Theirs was a +bright and happy home, for the gentle Wagner was a kind and loving +father. All the people of Venice loved him. In a short time all the poor +and needy of the city knew the great-hearted man, for he was ever ready +to help those in trouble. + +Wagner's unselfish life and sweet character won him many friends. At his +death people on both sides of the Atlantic mourned for him. + +The great composer died in Venice, and his body was taken to Germany for +burial. At every station on the way to Germany, fresh flowers were +scattered on the casket. The king sent a beautiful wreath, on which were +words meaning, _To the Deathless One_. + +[Music: (The Rhinegold.) (Motif.)] + + +LOHENGRIN + +_The Holy Grail_ + +An old, old story of the cup from which Christ drank has come down to us +through the ages. This cup was called the Holy Grail. At Christ's death +an angel bore the cup away. It was taken to a far-off castle, where it +was hidden from the sight of men. + +The knights of the castle guarded the Grail well, for it was a sacred +treasure. When, once a year the Holy Grail was unveiled, a white dove +flew down from heaven and hovered over it. Only the pure in heart could +see the cup. Throughout the year the knights performed righteous deeds +that they might be worthy to look upon the Grail. + +The knights of the castle were brave men and true, and they fought for +none but those who battled for the right. Victory was theirs, and they +conquered through the power of the Truth. + +_The Coming of the Knight_ + +In the tenth century Henry was king of the Germans. Once each year the +king visited all of his provinces. It was the custom for the people to +ask him to settle any disputes that had arisen during the past year. + +On one of these visits, so the story goes, the king found the people of +one province in great trouble. As they had no ruler, the king sent forth +a messenger to tell the people to meet him the next day on the bank of +the river. + +The day dawned bright and clear. The king took his seat on the throne +which had been placed for him in the shade of the great Oak of Justice. + +At his command a nobleman approached the throne. It was Frederic,--a +tall man, with black hair and eyes. He wore always a scowl upon his +face, and an angry light gleamed from beneath his heavy brows. + +Near him stood Ortrud, his wife. She wore a rich robe of crimson velvet. +The proud woman watched the movements of all about her, and not a word +that was spoken escaped her. + +"I am happy, O King, that you have come to help us in our trouble," said +Frederic. "Hear the truth. When our good duke lay dying, he intrusted +his children, a boy and a girl, to my care. Well did I love and guard +them, looking to the time when the boy should become ruler of the +province. + +"One day, the girl, Elsa, took her brother by the hand. Laughing and +singing, the two went forth into the woods together. Elsa returned +alone, saying that her brother was lost in the wood. Her eyes were red +with weeping, and her voice trembled when she spoke. To all my questions +she only replied, 'I know not where he is.' + +"I spoke sharply to the maid. Pale and shuddering, she turned from me. +Then did I know that Elsa had taken her brother's life, so that she +herself might one day become ruler of the province." + +The king listened in silence to Frederic's story. He was sad and +troubled. He could not believe that the young princess had been guilty +of so great a crime. He resolved to question the maid himself; so a +messenger was sent for her in haste. + +The crowd of people who had assembled waited in silence for their +princess. Soon many voices were heard to whisper: "See, she comes! Our +own princess! Now we shall know the truth!" + +As she approached, the crowd parted to make room for Elsa and her +ladies. The soft robes of the maidens were of palest blue. The young +princess was dressed in pure white. Her long bright hair gleaming like +gold in the sunlight, fell softly about her shoulders. As they drew near +the throne, the people stood apart, and Elsa knelt before the king +alone. Gently he questioned her. The girl's blue eyes were filled with +tears as she answered, "My poor brother! My poor brother!" + +"Fear nothing, Elsa. Tell me all," spoke the king. His voice was so kind +and his manner so gentle that the young princess knew she could trust +him as a true friend. + +She said: "When I have missed my brother, I have often gone alone to +pray. One day as I was praying, I fell asleep. I had a beautiful dream. +In the midst of shining clouds, I saw a knight in gleaming armor. A +golden horn hung at his side, and he leaned upon his sword. In a sweet +voice he spoke words of cheer to me. Then I awoke. My heart was filled +with joy, for I thought, 'He will defend me. He will prove that I have +done no wrong.'" + +So clear was Elsa's tone that all the people believed her words. Then up +spoke Duke Frederic. "I know the maid is guilty," he said. "Let any one +who thinks her innocent stand forth and fight with me. And may God help +the right!" + +The king said, "Elsa, are you willing to trust to this knight of your +dream? Will he come, think you, and defend you against Frederic?" + +"Yes," whispered the maiden, "he will come, for he has promised." + +At the king's command the trumpeter blew a long, clear blast from his +horn. Then he called in a loud voice, "Let him stand forth who in the +right of Heaven comes here to fight for Elsa." + +There was a long silence; but no answer came to the summons. Again and +yet again the trumpeter repeated his call. A hush fell upon the waiting +people. Elsa and her ladies dropped upon their knees and prayed for the +help which had been promised. + +Suddenly there was a cry from the water's edge: "Look! A boat! A swan! +They draw near! In the boat stands a knight. How his armor gleams in the +sunshine!" + +At these words Elsa rose from her knees and looked toward the shore. She +saw the knight spring from the boat. Ortrud, too, saw him. She saw his +shining silver armor and the golden horn hanging at his side. She saw +his bright yellow hair and the long blue coat that fell from his +shoulders. + +[Illustration: _Theodore Pixis_ + +ARRIVAL OF LOHENGRIN] + +All this she saw and remained as cold and proud as before. Then she +caught a glimpse of the swan's soft white feathers and the golden chain +that formed his harness. At this sight she trembled and grew pale. + +Turning to the swan, the knight sang a beautiful song as he sent it +away. "Farewell, my faithful swan!" he sang. + +While the swan sailed slowly down the river the knight advanced to the +king's throne. "I have come, O King," he said, "to do battle for the +Princess Elsa." Then did Elsa and all the people mark his noble bearing. +Never before had they seen a knight so strong and fearless. + +"Elsa," said the knight, "will you be my wife if I win from the Duke +Frederic?" + +"Yes," she answered. + +"Then promise me three things. Never ask my name, my race, nor whence I +came." + +Elsa was about to speak, but the knight begged her to think again before +she promised. "I promise," said the maiden. + +Then the battle took place. With a few swift strokes the swan knight +defeated the duke. However, in his kindness of heart, he spared +Frederic's life. Then a great shout rose from the people. "The Princess +Elsa is innocent," they cried. "Our good princess has done no wrong!" + +Before Ortrud married Duke Frederic, she had lived in a castle in a +dark wood. People said that she could use magic. Indeed, some said that +she could change people into whatever shape she chose. + +It was into the same dark wood, in which Ortrud had lived, that Elsa and +her brother had gone, laughing and singing. And it was from the same +dark wood that Elsa had returned alone. However, Ortrud had gone to the +wood before the young princess and her brother. Had any one noticed, +when she returned, late that afternoon, he would have seen an evil light +in her dark eyes, and a cruel smile upon her lips. + +[Music: (Lohengrin.) (Wedding Song.) Faithful and true, we lead thee +forth.] + +The day after the battle was the day set for the wedding of Elsa and the +swan knight. Many people had gathered to see the beautiful princess walk +from the palace to the church. First came Elsa's ladies, two by two. +Their long trailing gowns were rich and costly. They formed an aisle and +waited for the princess to pass through. + +Very fair and happy the princess looked as she came slowly down the +palace steps. When the people saw her, a glad cry of welcome arose. In +her soft bridal robe and with her fair hair floating about her, she +looked as beautiful as an angel. + +At the door of the church Elsa was met by the knight, who was to lead +her to the altar. As they moved slowly through the church, the wedding +march was heard from the great organ. + +When the marriage was over, the day was spent in feasting and +merrymaking. It was not until twilight that Elsa and the knight were +alone. By an open window they sat, talking in low tones. After some time +Elsa grew sad and silent. She heeded not the words of the knight. She +forgot the promise she had made and begged he would at least tell her +his name. + +"My name sounds so sweet from your lips," she said. "May I never have +the pleasure of speaking yours?" + +"Ah, Elsa," said the knight, sorrowfully, "speak not of this. Let us +talk of other things." + +"It is because you do not trust me, that you will not tell me," she +said. "You think your secret would not be safe with me." + +In vain the knight tried to soothe the troubled princess. He begged her +to remember her promise, but she would not listen to his pleading. + +[Illustration: _Theodore Pixis_ + +ORTRUD AND ELSA] + +"What is your name?" she cried. + +"Ask me not." + +"Where is your home?" + +"I can not tell thee." + +"From what race do you come?" + +The words had scarcely passed her lips when she was aware that the Duke +Frederic had entered the room. Seeing the evil light in his eyes, she +thrust the knight's sword into his hand, saying, "Oh, do not let him +slay you!" + +With a quick movement the knight turned upon his enemy, who soon lay +dead at his feet. To the men who came with Frederic he said, "Carry the +duke's body to the king." + +He lifted the half-fainting Elsa to the couch. Kissing her upon the +forehead, he said, "Alas! we shall be happy no more." As he left the +room, he turned at the door, saying, in a low, sad tone, "To-morrow, +before the king, I will tell you all that you ask." + +_Departure of the Knight_ + +The next day the king was again seated on his throne under the Oak of +Justice. It had been whispered that the stranger knight would make known +to all, his name, his home, and his race. A great crowd had gathered to +hear the knight speak. + +Silence fell upon them as the dead body of the duke was borne before the +king. Soon Elsa followed; her step was slow; her face was sad and pale. +Her eyes no longer shone with happiness. The hearts of all who saw her +were filled with pity. + +Presently the knight appeared. He wore the same shining armor that he +had worn on the day of his arrival. The golden horn still hung at his +side; the long blue cloak fell from his shoulders. + +Pointing to the dead body of Frederic, he said, "Yesterday, at eventide, +this man tried to take my life. I slew him to save myself. I pray thee, +O King, tell me if I did wrong." Before the king could speak, the people +answered for him, "The knight has done no wrong." + +[Illustration: _Theodore Pixis_ + +LOHENGRIN'S FAREWELL] + +Speaking slowly and in sad tones, the knight continued his story. +"Already the Princess Elsa has broken the promise she made to me. +Because she has asked my name, my home, and my race, I can dwell no +longer among you. I come of a race of noble knights. Proud am I of my +home, for it is the castle to which the Holy Grail was borne by angels +long ago. Neither have I cause to be ashamed of my name. I am +Lohengrin, son of that pure knight who guards the Holy Grail. + +"Many times my brother knights have gone on errands of love and mercy. +The power of the Holy Grail guards them in all they do. On such an +errand was I bent when I came to defend the maid Elsa." + +Looking up through their tears, the people saw the swan floating toward +them. Lohengrin, too, saw the swan approaching, and went to Elsa's side. +Filled with love and tenderness was his voice as he spoke to her. "Oh, +Elsa," he said, "hadst thou been true to thy promise, in one short year +I might have told thee all. In one short year would thy brother have +been returned to thee. Now, when he comes back to thee and I am far +away, give him this ring, this sword, and this horn." + +So filled with sorrow was Elsa that she could speak no word to +Lohengrin. As the knight made his way to the river bank, all faces were +turned toward him in sorrow--all, save one. Ortrud, who had been +standing in the shadow of the great oak, came forward. With a wicked +smile she said, in a loud voice, "Yon snowy bird was once a boy, the +brother of the Princess Elsa. I changed him to his present form." + +As soon as Lohengrin heard these words, he sank upon his knees. Long he +remained at prayer. As he knelt, a pure white dove floated down from +heaven and hovered over his head. + +Rising from his knees, Lohengrin loosed the golden chain from the neck +of the swan. As he did so, the swan vanished from sight, and a fair +youth in shining armor appeared in its place. + +The people recognized the youth as Elsa's brother and thanked God for +the power of the Holy Grail which had brought their prince again to +them. + +At the sight of the young prince, Ortrud sank lifeless to the ground. + +Rejoicing that Elsa and her brother were together once more, Lohengrin +sprang into the boat. The dove, catching the golden chain in its tiny +beak, guided the boat down the river, and the knight was seen no more. + + + + +VOCABULARY + + + _ā_ as in _māte_ + _ă_ as in _ăm_ + _ä_ as in _ärm_ + _ȧ_ as in _ȧsk_ + _ē_ as in _ēve_ + _ĕ_ as in _ĕnd_ + _ẽ_ as in _fẽrn_ + _ī_ as in _kīte_ + _ĭ_ as in _ĭll_ + _ō_ as in _nō_ + _ŏ_ as in _ŏdd_ + _ū_ as in _ūse_ + _o͞o_ as in _fo͞od_ + _o͝o_ as in _fo͝ot_ + + A + + ac-com´pa-ni-ment. Music to be played with a song, or with one or + more other musical instruments. + + Al-ex-an´der. + + Aus´tri-an. Belonging to Austria, a country of Europe. + + + B + + Bach (bäk). + + Ba-va´ri-a. A kingdom of Germany. + + Beethoven (bā´tō-ven). + + Buck´ing-ham. The king's palace in London. + + + C + + Chopin (shō-păn´). + + clar´i-net. A wind instrument blown on a single reed. + + concerto (cŏn-sẽr´tō). A long musical composition, written + to be played with an orchestra. + + + D + + Danube (dăn´ūb). A river in Austria. + + Dresden (drĕz´den). A city in Germany. + + dumb keyboard. Noiseless keyboard. + + + E + + E-li´jah. A prophet spoken of in the Bible. + + Eu-ro-pe´an. Belonging to Europe. + + + F + + Figaro (fē-gȧ-rō´). The hero of one of Mozart's operas. + + Fin´gal. + + Florentines (flŏr´en-tēns). People of Florence, a city in + Italy. + + Frankfurt (fränk´fo͝ort). A city in Germany. + + + G + + Goethe (gẽ´tĕ). + + Gret´chen. + + + H + + Hamburg (häm´bo͝org). A city in Germany. + + harp´si-chord. An old-fashioned piano. + + Haydn (hā´d'n). + + Heidelberg (hī´del-berg). A city of Germany. + + + J + + Joseph (jō´sef). + + + L + + largo (lär´gō). A musical piece in slow time. + + Leipzig (līp´sĭk). A city in Germany. + + Liszt (lĭst). + + Lohengrin (lō´en-grĭn). The knight of the swan, son of + Parsifal. + + Ludwig (lo͞ot´vĭg). + + lute. A musical instrument with strings. + + + M + + Marie Antoinette (mȧ-rē´ äntwä-nĕt´). Wife of King Louis + XVI of France. + + ma-zur´ka. A Polish dance, or the music which accompanies it, + usually in ¾ or ⅜ time. + + Mediterranean (med-ĭ-tẽr-rā´ne-an). A sea south of Europe. + + Mendelssohn (mĕn´dĕls-sōn). + + Mozart (mō´zärt). + + Munich (mū´nik). A city in Bavaria, Germany. + + + N + + Nicholas (nĭk´ō-lȧs). + + + O + + oratorio (ŏr-ȧ-tō´rĭ-ō). A Bible story set to music. + + Ortrud (or´trūd). + + overture (ō´vẽr-tūr). A musical composition usually coming + first in an oratorio or an opera. + + + P + + Parisians (pȧ-rizh´ans). People of Paris, a city of France. + + Parsifal (par´si-fȧl). + + Phœbus (fē´bŭs). God of the sun. + + pianoforte (pĭ-ȧn´ō-fōr-tā). A piano. + + + Q + + quartet (kwa̤r-tĕt´). A piece of music for four voices or for + four instruments. + + + R + + rehearsal (rē-hẽrs´al). A private recital of a play or opera + before a public performance. + + Rhine (rīn). A river in Germany. + + rondo (rŏn´dō). A lively musical composition. + + + S + + Salzburg (zȧlts´bo͝o rg). A city of Austria. + + Sax´on. A native of Saxony. + + Sax´on-y. A kingdom of Germany. + + Schubert (sho͞o´bẽrt). + + Schumann (sho͞o´män). + + Sebastian (sē-băs´chan). + + Sistine (sis´tĭn). + + Sohn (sōn). German word meaning "son." + + sonata (so-nä´tȧ). A composition in three or four parts for a + piano, organ, or other musical instrument. + + staves. Groups of five lines and four spaces on which notes are + written. + + Stephen (stē´ven). + + symphony (sĭm´fo-nĭ). A musical composition written in three + or four parts for the orchestra. + + + T + + Tannhäuser (tän´hoi-zẽr). + + Thames (temz). A river of England. + + + V + + Venetians (ve-nē´shans). People of Venice. + + Venice (vĕn´ĭs). A city of Italy. + + Verona (vā-rō´nȧ). A city in Italy. + + Vienna (vē-ĕn´nȧ). A city of Austria. + + viol (vī´ŭl). A musical instrument much like a violin, but + larger. + + viola (vī´ō-lȧ). An instrument larger than a violin, but + smaller than a viol. + + violoncello (vē-ō-lŏn-chĕl´lō). A bass viol. + + + W + + Wagner (väg´nẽr). + + West´min-ster Ab-bey. A large, beautiful church in London. + + Wieck (vēk). + + Wolfgang (volf´gȧng). + + + + + Transcriber's Notes + + + 1. The HTML version of this ebook contains illustrations and midi + music files. In this text version, captions, attributions and song + lyrics are provided instead. + + 2. The Anglicized names of the various composers have been retained + as in the original. + + 3. a̤ and ŭ used in the vocabulary had no examples of pronunciation. + These have been retained as in the original. + + 4. Wolgang has been changed to Wolfgang ("The music was begun, + Wolfgang playing the second part.") + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Stories of Great Musicians, by +Kathrine Lois Scobey and Olive Brown Horne + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES OF GREAT MUSICIANS *** + +***** This file should be named 37353-0.txt or 37353-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/3/5/37353/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Karina Aleksandrova and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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