Part 23 (2/2)
The music seemed to arouse all that was masterful and compelling in him.
His personality dominated everything, and I never saw him on any other occasion so obviously moved as he was that night. His love of the music of Handel was, from his earliest years, pa.s.sionate, as that of Beethoven, and, in a less degree, Berlioz, became in later years.
On the way back to his house, observing that he showed evident signs of fatigue, I forbore to speak, but he suddenly said, ”Well, what do you think of it?” I replied, ”Sir Charles, it was perfectly splendid, and, if not a liberty, may I say, that your conducting was simply magnificent?” The words read, in print, perhaps, exaggerated and extravagant. I can only say that I simply voiced my feelings at the moment.
He leaned back in the carriage, saying:
”Thanks. That is something,” and after a pause, ”The work has been long and--arduous.” However, on arriving at his home, he soon regained his usual serenity, when, after a light supper, he lit a cigar.
In the course of conversation, I said, ”Will you tell me, Sir Charles, if it was simply the result of philosophical reflection, or some incident, that made you determine on the 'twenty minutes before the train' rule?”
He replied, ”It was, certainly, the result of an accident that occurred to me, many years ago, in Manchester; but at the same time, I think there is much philosophy in it. I was being driven to the station to catch a train to the north, with a band rehearsal and concert before me.
My carriage suddenly stopped, and, looking out to see what was the matter, I found that, owing to some work on the road, we were hopelessly blocked. I seized my bag, and running all the way to the station, was just in time to enter the train as it was starting. In fact, had the guard not recognised me, I should have lost it.”
”Well, Sir Charles,” I said, ”with such possibilities constantly facing you, it was, as Sam Weller said to Mr. Pickwick, 'the prudentest resolution as you could come to.'”
”It has,” he answered, ”made all the difference between misery and comfort, in such a life of incessant travelling as mine.” We continued talking into, I am afraid, the early hours of the morning, when an old domestic entering the room, on some pretext or another, Sir Charles who was just commencing, ”However, there was one occasion,” immediately rose from his chair, and saying, ”it is late, we must go to bed,” made preparations for that event. The story was never told.
On the return journey, the same game occupied our attention, Sir Charles remarking as we entered our compartment, ”Now, I am going to win back what you got from me coming down.” The feat was not a considerable one, but the zest with which he threw himself into the effort, the absolutely boyish joy he exhibited, was a thing that I can never forget.
He did not succeed. When, saying ”good-bye” to him, as he entered his carriage, after our arrival in London, he remarked, ”But I am going to get that half-crown back; you will see.”
Sir Charles Halle was, in every sense, a remarkable man. Judged from any standpoint, he appears as one destined to make his mark in history.
As a pianist, on no less an authority than Hans Von Bulow, he is to be regarded as one of the greatest exponents of Beethoven.
As a conductor, his memory is equally secure. That the scene of his greatest achievements happened to be England, is, as we know, a matter of accident. But it is equally certain that wherever fate had decided that his lot should be cast, his name would be carried down in history, as a man of great endowments, n.o.ble character, and one of those whose existence enriches humanity.
SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN
His disposition--His early days--As a student at Leipzig--Return to England--The ”Tempest” music--Results of its performance--Definite plans as to the future--As song writer--Punch and one of them--A house of noted hospitality--a.s.sociation with Gilbert and D'Oyly Carte--First result--The Savoy operas--”Ivanhoe”--His powers of work--The oratorios--The ”Martyr of Antioch”--”The Golden Legend”--His strong character--His critical genius--A personal incident--A story of Sir W. S. Gilbert--His great place in the histof English music.
Sir Arthur Sullivan's disposition was a happy one--in other words, it was bright and sparkling. Blessed with a sense of humour that enabled him to look out on the world with invariable cheerfulness, he pa.s.sed his days in an atmosphere of serenity that might well be the envy of all who knew him. It was only natural, for he was a veritable child of fortune.
Most men, and, emphatically, most musicians, have to experience years of struggle or strenuous work, before they attain to fame, or, in the jargon of the day, ”arrive.”
Not so, Arthur Sullivan.
The fates took too much care of him to subject their favourite to anything so unpleasant or distressing!
His childhood was happy; at school he was a universal favourite, and as a student at Leipzig, he pa.s.sed some of the most pleasant years of his life.
When he returned to England in 1861, he brought with him several ma.n.u.script compositions, one of which proved to be a veritable torch that was destined to light his way to fame--and fortune. It was his music to Shakespeare's ”Tempest.”
He was, of course, well-known in musical circles through his being the winner of the Mendelssohn scholars.h.i.+p, so there was no difficulty in arranging for its performance. This took place at the Crystal Palace, under the direction of the late Sir August Manns, in April, 1862.
[Ill.u.s.tration: SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN.
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