Compiled by London Swaminathan 

 

Date: 16 DECEMBER 2017 

 

Time uploaded in London-  7-58 am

 

 

Post No. 4502

Pictures shown here are taken from various sources such as Facebook friends, Books, Google and newspapers; thanks.

 

 

WHO WAS MOZART?

Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  (1756-1791) was Austrian composer and performer, who showed astonishing precocity as a child and was an adult virtuoso.

 

WHO WAS NIETZSHE?

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German Philosopher who rejected the accepted absolute moral values and the slave morality of Christianity. He argued that God is dead and therefore people were free to create their own values.

    

Mozart’s retort

A lad once asked Mozart how to write a symphony. Mozart said, “you are a very young man. Why not begin with ballads?”

The aspirant urged, “You composed symphonies when you were ten years old.”

“Yes”, replied Mozart, “but I didn’t ask ‘How?’

 

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Nietzsche

When Nietzsche one day observed to Wagner that in ‘Figaro’ Mozart had invented the music of intrigue.

Wagner replied, “On the contrary! In ‘Figaro’ Mozart dissolved the intrigue in music”.

(intrigue: mysterious or fascinating quality)

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Fabulous Memory

The composer, Gounod, had a fabulous memory. When he was about 19 he had attended a rehearsal of ‘Romeo et Juliette’ which was still in manuscript and was being directed by the composer, Berlioz. The next day he called upon Berlioz, sat at the piano and proceeded to play the entire finale of the opera from memory.

The composer stared at him in terror and astonishment. Had his work been pirated? Was it some incredible coincidence?

“Where the devil did you get the music?”, he demanded.

“At your rehearsal yesterday,” replied Gunod.

 

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Elegy to George Gershwin

When an American composer, George Gershwin, died, a man of sentiment combined with musical aspirations wrote an elegy in his honour. He sought out Oscar Levant. Reluctantly Levant granted him a hearing. Eagerly the man rendered the piece with his own hands and then turned expectantly toward Levant seeking approbation.

 

I think it would have been better, Levant said, if you had died and Gershwin had written the elegy.

 

Xxx

I was the abominable Creature!

At premiere performance of Caesar Frank’s symphony, the gentle, benign old composer, who had seldom ventured out of his organ loft, was seated in the audience. The stupid and blasé assemblage were hostile to this fine work which did not until later read find its proper appreciation.

One pompous and arrogant woman, who chanced to be seated directly behind the composer, remarked loudly in the interim between two of the movements,

“Who is the creature who writes this abominable music?”

The gentle Frank turned around in his seat and said courteously,

“Madam, it is I”.

 

Xxx SUBHAM xxx