Franz Schubert and Johann Mayrhofer

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Franz Schubert and Johann Mayrhofer

Source: Watson's Art Journal, Vol. 8, No. 10 (Dec. 28, 1867), pp. 144-145
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20647722
Accessed: 03-06-2018 16:54 UTC

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144 WATSON'S AET JOURNAL.
[From the Boston Musical Ti
. being devised and planned out by a mere Theodore Korner, during his sojourn at Vi
.youth is extraordinary enough : the fact of FRANZ SCHUBER
enna, had lived in that very same room, and
its thoroughly successful accomplishment is MAYRHOFER.
that he was a very gay young man. He
still more extraordinary. But now that we could not understand how it was that Franz
h l< have got it it can speak for itself, and, or we In a gloomy cared so littleroom,
for his love. He silently took on t
are greatly deceived, it will speak to future house in the Wipplinge
up his pen, x and turned his attention to some
kS ; times. Often as it has been our agreeable there lived, historicalin
work, which1820,
he had undertaken to tw
duty to praise" the orchestra of the Crystal be very unfit for
write. .In the evening, each
when Schubert en o
Palace, and Herr Manns, its admirable con The oldest, ahis daily
tered, lie had, after middle-
work, given au
ductor, we have never been able to do so somewhat staring dience to his muse, and with a look, new poem h
more unreservedly than now. What would quently for music, he had advanced towards
distorted his
with
Mendelssohn himself have said to such a was sitting with a
friend. It is the one in which his poems is pipe
guitar in mentioned
his under the hand,
title of ' 'Der Einsame." th
Eerformance
ave heard nothing? likeAt It?nor,
Berlin,withindefer
1832, he could downward. His
Schubert listened, hand
nodded, as a sign of his
ence, at Paris either, even when Habeneck ment from time
approval, and laid down on the bed, puttingto ti
was conductor of the orchestra of the Con Mayrhofer, the
his spectacles on his forehead,poet. as he was
servatoire, much less now, with M. Georges His companion, used to when meditating, and who for some time w
Hainl from Lyons at its head. markable for
remained silent.his Then suddenlyfat, he arose, ro
lips, his large
sat down at the piano, eye-brow
saying, "I have found
THE RAINY DAY. his curled it hair, which
!" and played the new composition. In
pearance to
this waythe whole
the poet and composer assisted h
BY GEN. D. C. M'CULIAJM. Schubert, each
the other. king of s
a * * -x- *
They had lived but a sh
but had been Years for have yearsp
How oft' the sire the son hath told,
Above all else lay by thy gold !
Though Mayrhofens
bert do not
more heroic former than lyric
has b
Remember this old adage, Tom, adapted for musical c
That charity begins at home. more estrang
conquering all talent gay ofsociet the
Be careful, boy, for who can say
who, during ofhis the short edition li
Wllen God shall send thy rainy day. of six hundred songs, o
Thy rainy day ? published at
forms. "Who whilst ever he hear can
Be prudent, sou, in youth be wise, positions of bert's the youthf
songs.
And let thine elders thee advise. no type?who bert incessantl
is comfor
As years roll on thou'lt surely find ?without being
the poet touched Baue
'Tis folly to be over-kind. awakens longings
etc., inin the our"
In all thine acts let caution sway; The fate of They the areliouse walk
Hold all thou hast for rainy day? stresse?namely, the dark that stree
For rainy day. would have Hungarian been shar w
poenis, had of not the Schuber
Danube
Let spendthrifts all exult to tell words so beautiful
the clouds a ga
wh
How sympathy their bosoms swell,? it is, they They
are uninterru do not k
How happiness their hearts doth thrill the public, mirth and Mayrhothat th
In mitigating human ill,? with Schubert's bridge melodi near
'Tis crime, my boy, to give away terity. waves which
What thou may'st need for rainy day? The young composer leans on the window come! Down
For rainy day. sill, and looks down upon the gloomy street. peace!" They
In memory, he wanders back to Leleez, the the man jum
Ah ! see yon miser grasp his pelf, country-seat of Count Esterhazy. They
With not a thought beyond himself, taken out af
played, thev sang, and Caroline his only who had wat
Whose demon eyes see nothing good pupil, and nrst love, was singing his songs the man was
But glitt'ring gold?his life, his food. and playing his compositions. And now, their greates
Yea, gold he has, but who dare say behold, a carriage passes through the gloomy
That he'll not see dark, rainy day? as the unfort
street. A charming young lady sits in the All joking ha
Dark, rainy day. carriage, which is drawn by fiery Hungarian hand of his
God's curse must rest upon that heart horses. She unconsciously looked up to the latter withdr
window; Schubert recognized her. His face cries :
AVhose int'rests are from men apart?
A wretch, whose selfish, narrow mind wore a sudden look of pain; he had been " I hadn't thought that the water of the
Is deep disgrace to human kind. thinking of her, and now she passed his Danube would be so cold," and moves away
house. The name of Caroline was on Iiis without greeting or thanks. Tlie friends
The time must come when no bright ray
Shall beam on his dark, rainy day? lips. Mayrhofer, who had slowly approached determined never to speak of the occur
the window, .saw his emotion. OHe com rence, and they kept their word, for Mayr
Dark, rainy day. menced laughing, as he was used to do, and hofens attempt to commit suicide was not
Oh ! place some confidence in man, looked around for his stick, to use it as a disclosed until after his death.
Nor dare thy neighbor's heart to scan, spear against his friend, saying in the Vien The 19th of November, 1S28, drew near.
For who can tell where strikes the rod ? nese dialect, " Was halt mich dennab du Schubert's compositions had more and more
Of this let judgment rest with God. kloaner?" But Schubert did not this time
found public applause, but as yet he hardly
On side of mercy lean alway, take the friendly joke. Without a word, he earned a living. He never understood how
Nor dread nor fear thy rainy day? went to the piano, and commenced to play to profit by his works. The private con
Thy rainy day. his "Divertissement a la hongiers," with cert which he gave in March, previous to his
those melancholic gipsy-melodies which, in death, and in which only his own composi
Poor.child of earth, what's life at most ? former days he heard at Lel6cz. On a tions were j)layed and his first and last?just
A few short years in tempest tost. sudden he sprang up, and cried, "Therese as the Countess Caroline Esterhazy was his
Ah ! turn thine eyes to heavenly shore, awaits me !" and went away. While he was first and last pupil?perhaps because she had
Where deeds of mercy go before. hurrying towards Lichtenthal, where Therese been his only and hopeless love; a love of the
Though thou may'st err, be kind alway, Grob?whose clear sweet voice touched the greatness of which she had perhaps no idea
And God will cheer life's rainy davr-r high D?had to sing his songs for him, the What he had written about himself to a
Life's rainy day. poet sat at home, and stared at the floor. friend had become true, namely ; "Imagine
-m-*-m?
More and more he forgot what was going on a man whose health will never recover, and
Copenhagen.?A new
around him, so that he did not observe when
who, opera,
in despair thereof, makes it constantly The
the Alders, by
his landlady, Herr
Frau Sanssouci, entered the Hartmann, is
preparation. worse instead of better; imagine a man, I
room, and repeated the of ten-told story, that sf^ whose brightest hopes are destroyed, to

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_ _ WATSON'S AKT JOURNAL. 145"
whom love and friendship offer nothing, ex four representi
panels, represen
cept grief, to whom enthusiasm for the beau of the English
dance, and mu
twe
tiful threatens to decay, and I ask you dancers, On
by the
Gustav
gran
whether that's not a miserable and unfortu staircase: four
coloredsubj
ma
nate man ?" N " Poetry," and
grand " Th
saloo
His compositions were played, his songs partments, by M. Pil
chimney-pi
were sung, but as yet there was no warm ap enamel, dier.
by M. In th
Emile
preciation for his works. Even Goethe left many cities
thewhere fa
imperia
Schubert's music for his poems unnoticed. produced, London
and Leperein
Posterity also in this case had to make up la, byM. the
Jules Lene
above, t
for the neglect of contemporaries. Goddessestoon Olym
the gra
During the last year of his life, Schubert symbolic arts; thre
composers,
was more active than ever, as if he felt the Felix Thomas,
the Lano
imperia
nearness of his death. His swan's song was above are while
all orderedother
G. Seidl's Taubenpost. He drooped more proposed to
crown be added
the c
and more, until at three o'clock on the after panels, and tliree tym
noon of the 19th of November, 1828, death ground UNPUBLISHED
of gold, LETTERS OF for
FELIX
put a period to his sorrows. He was lain on allegorical MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY
ceiling TO
for
a barrow, dressed as a hermit, a wreath of and five FRIEDERICH SCHNEIDER,
panels for. AT t
laurels wound around his temples. And saloon; DESSAU.
panels and fr
friends and acquaintances came to the boudoir; eight tymp
Neuen Wieden, No. 714, to adorn the coffin vestibule. Smoking- vir.
with wreaths and flowers. Whether she, to figures, Respected Kapellmeister,
with plans, ? Ever since
whom all was dedicated, also came, is un places which
becoming acquainted have
with the facts you re b
known to us. But Johann Mayrhofer came. Paris; a ceiling and
cently communicated to me respecting thee
Therese Grob found him?when she came to large house in which my grandfather
ice-room; friezes was born at
cast a last glance at the dead?standing near twelve panels,
Dessau, I have been turning contai
them over and
the coffin and staring at his dead friend. ing as over in my brain,
many and cannot repress a deo
kinds
' He neither saw or noticed her, but went and, lastly,
sire to see thetwenty
memory of my grandfather p
away in silence as he had come. It seemed singers, perpetuated Gerome,
by in some tangible form. I my
to be written on his face?"My Franz ! bet Laeinlin,self Brisset,
should prefer a simple tablet over the G
ter that I had died for you !" Levy, Auber,
door, with an inscription, Lecon
or something of
Schubert was buried in the cemetery of Ph. the kind.
Rousseau, Mongin
Wahring, where also Beethoven is resting; Hamon, Marchal,
Before puzzling myself further about it, I Gir
that was his last wish. Johann Mayrhofer Francais should
and wish above all things
Benou
to learn to
wrote a lament for his departed friend. He in whom the house
keeping withat present belongs ; wheth
the
was also present at the mourning music c\\)ti\facade of
er it is likely that the owner the
will not for the
given in honor of Schubert, but thereafter groups moment dispose
by M. of it to any ono
Maileelse ; and
he became* more solitary, more afraid of hu senting whether
the "Dance
he would cheerfully accept > and re
man beings. He touched his lyre, for a long dy," and spect such
the a tablet ? Should"Dram
it, however,
time silent, for the last time at Goethe's death. "Music," be for
by Carpeau
sale, could you not quietly inform me
On February 5, 1835, Mayrhofer went, as and what sort of a house it is, and what
Guillaume, and would in
he did every day, to his office; but sadness be the price ? Butthe
presenting I can only ask this alto
"Idy
w;,<lld not let him remain at his desk. What thology," gether and "Histo
on the quiet, and must, above all, beg
had all life been for him ? Where had he Dubois you will excuse
and my troubling you with such
Falguiere
ever found quiet and consolation; he walked of the matters, beforefacade,
same I have really made up my f
slowly through the dark passages of the and mind what is to be done, or, indeed, ifby
"Industry/' any J
building, not noticing hie colleagues' greet and sculpture,
thing at all can be done. by Gr
ings. He went from one floor to the other eral As it was, however,
facades, fron yourself who by your ton
- until he reached the top floor of the house. and the friendly
"Drama,"
information first started the subject,
He steadfastly gazed into the sky. The first "Science,"
I hope you by Manig
will excuse my again troubling
mild airs of spring were blowing upon him. "Music," you,by
and drop me a couple
Otten; of lines in an
They were chilly, like death. Ho leaned etry," byswer asCabot.
soon as possible. By so doing youThe
further out?a scream?and lie was lying groups, will confer a Gummery
by very great favor on yours most
dead on the pavement below. and " faithfully, . '
Music," ^supp
-n^_n- - "Fame." Over Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.
the ce
THE um,
PARISa OPERA
galvano-plastic
Leip&ie, the 30 September, 1845. HOU
Mir.
ing the Lyre," and t
by Esteemed Kapellmeister,?Allow
AineMillet; and me, by
The reports of thethese
restrained lines,
by
intended to introduce
the to you M. Leonard
M d
the new of
OperatheHousea very distinguished
Imperial have Belgian
pavilviolinist,
bee an
dinary, with
that to beg that you will givebeliev
attributes,
most people him by
a friendly reP
exaggerated; the this, ception. M. Leonard,
imperial
however, staircase formerly, and isfor
as the Elias
following Robert
long time,supplied
list, and
a member Ma
of the orchestra of th
the architect of
principal Academic
the
facade, Royale
new in Paris, is onebu
gilt of thos
Moniteur Meyerbeer,
des Arts, virtuosos
will who, in attaining
Spontini, show:? manual dexterit
ordered, by in
and and elegance, have
Chabaud;
course of not
and forgotten
execu a sure
of an
the grandnault
public and steady Scribe,
saloon, foundation. Heten is, in the bestsuby
sense
covings of ralfacades,
the of the word,
ceilings bustsa thorough
from and accomplished
in m s
history: bert,
"Orpheus,"J. musician>
J. and I am, therefore, convince
Rousseau
"Education
"Bacchantes,"Paisiello, thatby
"Judgment both his solo-playing
Hasse; and
of his quartet
-
by M. Paulolo, Weber,
Baiidry; playing will really afford you gratification
Bellini
"Parnass an
and divine, Monte
to fill If you can, andlarge
verde,
two will, aid him in appearin
Durant co
oval Sacchini,
medallions overeither
by at Court orWalter
the at a doors,
concert of his own, o
A room to Boieldieu,
the left at one
of of your the
Herold, Subscription Concerts,
abo yo
D
rated by Bruyer.
M. Delaunay,will bo doing him
Medallions the a favor, and rendero
ceil m
Glorificationlesi, of very much your debtor.
Hadyn,
Singing," Bach I remain, as always
ana
pans, mery.
continuing Twowith
thethe greatest
grand consideration?Yours,
subjec camos
sponding the
room moon
on obediently,
the and cither the s
the interior Felix of
Medelssohn-Bartholdy.
the b
ny," in a ceiling and three tym
Barrias. tuesgreat
The of Lulli,
Leipsic, Rame
the 21 Dec, 1815.
saloon fo

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