File:Modern music and musicians - (Encyclopedic) (1918) (14776289091).jpg

Identifier: modernmusicmusic02elso (find matches)
Title: Modern music and musicians : (Encyclopedic)
Year: 1918 (1910s)
Authors: Elson, Louis Charles, 1848-1920
Subjects: Piano Musicians Composers
Publisher: New York : The University Society Inc.
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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rdedfrom the spiritual side, was that of a perfect musician; his technic wasalways serviceable to the work which he was playing, but it was neverfor display, and was always beautiful in tone, wonderfully clear, and fullof soul. It can be understood why he played principally Bach, Haydn, Mozart,Beethoven, and his own works; but he mastered technically and in an un-surpassable manner the striking difficulties of the chromatic Fantasia andFugue of Bach; the Gr major Concerto, the Kreutzer Sonata, the Sonata,Op. 3, and the trios in B major, Op. 97, of Beethoven; and his own Varia-tions Serieuses. Mendelssohns talent for improvisation was imposing;his art in writing various themes in polyphony and melting them togetherwas particularly astonishing. He was likewise a remarkable organ-player,and as a violinist lie stood his man. The writer of these pages heard himin a public chamber-music soiree taking part in his string octet. As a teacher of composition, Mendelssohn cast a sharp glance over
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MENDELSSOHN MONUMENT. Before the new Concert-house in Leipsio. the whole work, and blamed as sharply, though often in a humorous way, ashe quickly and heartily encouraged and recognized. In this lesson he oftenplayed to his pupils long excerpts from their own compositions withoutnotes, as he had a very remarkable memory. Here is an example : An Ital-ian virtuoso, by name Briccialdi, lived for some months in Leipsic, and wasmuch sought after and often heard in musical circles. On one occasionBriccialdi was invited to play the rondo of one of his own compositions,but feared he would have to decline because he had not brought the notes.Mendelssohn, however, who had once accompanied him some weeks before,said: Oh, I beg of you to play it, because I know it by heart. And,voila! he accompanied it. It is said that Goethe once wrote to Mendels-sohns parents : He is a heavenly, precious boy. Send him very soon tome again, that I may refresh myself in him. When a youth Mendelssohn made a famous

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