Daniel Gregory Mason
Description
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the
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publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...pupil. The boy, whose industry was equal to his talent, brought one day to his master a fugue on which he had expended an unusual amount of time and pains, as he thought, with success. So thought Weber, who, proud ana joyful, sent off tne fugue as a specimen of his pupil's work to his old master, the Abbe Vogler, at Darm stadt. The answer was eagerly looked for, but months elapsed and nothing came. At last there appeared--not a letter, but a huge packet. This proved to contain a long and exhaustive treatise on Fugue, in three sections, incidentally dissecting and criticizing Meyerbeer's fugue and proving it bad. Weber was astonished and distressed, but Meyerbeer set to work and wrote another fugue, in eight parts, in accordance with his new lights. This, with a modest letter, he sent to Vogler. The answer soon came: "Young man, Art opens to you a glorious future! Come to me at Darmstadt. You shall be to me as a son, and you shall slake your thirst at the sources of musical knowledge." Such a prospect was not to be resisted, and in 1810 Meyerbeer became an inmate of Vogler's house. The notorious Abbe, regarded by some people as the most profound theoretician of Germany, by others (including Mozart) as an impudent charlatan, was Meyerbeer's teacher for two years. During his stay with Vogler Meyerbeer's diligence was such that often, when interested in. some new branch of study, he would not leave his room or put off his dressing-gown for days together. His great powers of execution on the pianoforte enabled him to play at sight the most intricate orchestral scores, with a full command of every part. His four-part'Sacred Songs of Klopstock' were published at this time, and an oratorio of his, entitled 'God and Nature,' was performed in the presence o...
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