MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 556, 10 July 1909, Page 9

MUSIC.

' (Bl TItKBLS Cn».i Composer's Memoirs. Leoncavallo has lately finished writing the memoirs (writes a Milan correspondent). The\fylS. abounds in interesting stories; Of these I am permitted to cito from Leoncavallo's narrative of "How I Came to Write 'I Pagliacci' ": — -

In Paris tho baritone singer Maurel had promised mo an introduction to Sienor Kicordi, the great musical publisher. Encouraged by that promise, 1 pawned the furniture from my room, and set out for Milan, inere Maurel kept liis word, and, in our Kicordi commissioned me to write the music for the 'Medici' opera for 2400f., payable at 200f. per month, with the obligation of completing tho work within a twelvemonth. But 1 when that work was done I had to keep up courage for another three years, during which I resumed in Milan the drudgery of teaching. • After the success of 'Cavalleria Rusticana I lost. my. patience, and resolved upon one last desperate effort. I buckled to, and 111 the space of five months wrote the words and music of 'Pagliacci,' which w'as destined to so gratifying a triumph. . . When it came to be translated into French, Catulle Mendes discovered some resemblance to his 'lemmo do Tabarin,' and in tho persussiom that. I had filched my plot from him, took the preliminary steps' for a lawsuit. He soon, however,' loyally withdrew, for I was able to demonstrate to him that my story is in reality the reproduction of*'a case that actually came before my father when president , . °f. Justice at' Cosenza. And, what is -still stranger, the hero of my story, freed from prison, is still alivo. and' in tho service of Baroness Sprovieri, m Calabria,

The Talo of a Violin. _ Eugene Ysaye tells of a remarkable incident that befell himxmany years ago. When ho was young and poor, lie was attracted by a Guadagnini violin which ho saw in a pawnbroker's window in Hamburg. Much as he longed for it, ho could not buy it any more than he could have bought the whole shop. Still, ho went in and besought the pawnbroker to keep it for him, as ho might by chance be able to purchase it in the future. Tho man said that he. would put ifc away for a reasonable time, and Ysaye wont away happy and yet .sad. How was he to find the wherewithal to make\the treasure his own? All tho way back to 1 his hotel lie worried about the matter; but bis astonishment was great, when, on, arriving there, he' found a friend of his from Belgium, who had just come to Hamburg. Almost in despair, Ysaye told him about the Guadaguinij and begged him to lend him enough to buy the wonderful instrument. . "It's a largo amotint to pay," said, the newcomer; " and I haven't as much money with mo." " Would you lend it if you had?" asked the violinist. " Yes," was the reply._ " I believe in your future and in you;, but, as 1-have said, I. haven't the money." Then an inspiration came to Ysaye. " Look here," be said, " you deal l m diamonds?" ,"Yes." "Then leave'a few i diamonds as security, and get me tho previous. Guadagnini;" .Ysaye's friend was so | taken aback by the proposal that for a moment he could not reply ; but at last, seeing the earnestness* of the violinist, he consented to. leayo a bag of stones. with- .the ;.pawnbroker as security for'the instrument/ "In" this way," says Ysaye, "I was married to my Jove among fiddles—my beautiful Guadagnini.!!)'. ... .Notes. '. v Richard. Strauss, the composer of "Electra," says that Verdi's "Falstaff", is tho greatest masterpiece of modcrli Italian music. ••. Critic (as the composer plays his'last piece): "Very fine indeed. But what ; is that passage which makes the 'cold .chills run down the back?" Composer: "That is whero the wanderor has the' hotel bill brought to him." \. . " .v.

■■■ 'I have hero an opera," announced the robust composer, ."which will bo the greatest production of tho century. It is callcd 'Paradise.'" "Paradise!''' roared the: impresario; "mail, do you realise what it would cost for scenery?" "Yes," answered tho composer calmly, "but do you realise wliat would be saved on costumes?"

An amusing story is told of Rosenthal- tho pianist, who, like Von Bulow, is said to make occasional biting remarks at tho expenso of his contemporaries. Calling'upon a friend, a composer of some pretension, he saw, scattered about, his: rooms, the scores'of. various modern works. "Ah I" he said, "L am surprised. I'thought, my friend, that you always composed by heart." j

Samt-Saens was born in Paris in 1835.'During the tragic events of tho Commune, SaintSaens served in the National Guard, and it was not till after that period that his first opera was produced. Recently, during the interval at a concert, .the composer overhead a music lover expatiating on the beauties of his_ own composition to . a matter-of-fact friend, at which the matter-of-fact friend only yawned.. The music lover was hurt here, John," he asked," "don't you !think, practical person though you are, that music is of some benefit in life?" John pondered for a,moment. "Well," lie declared finally, "judging from the portraits of musicians I've seen, especially pianists, I should say that it keeps the hair from falling out"