Little Masterpieces of Autobiography, Volume 5George Iles Doubleday, Page, 1908 - Autobiography |
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able artist BARBIZON beauty Berlin capital novel CHARLES ELIOT NORTON colour composed composition Conservatorium copy criticism curé dear defects delightful dramatic everything execution expression eyes father feeling felt figure finished Francis Hueffer genius give Gleaners Gounod grand Grieg hand harmony Haydn head heart Holofernes idea imitation impression inspiration James Nasmyth Jean François Millet Jules Breton Julius Rietz Leipzig lessons letter Libyan Sibyl LISZT Lohengrin look master means Mendelssohn Michelangelo Millet mind monument mother musician nature never Nibelungen Ole Bull once one's opera overture painter painting passion peasant piano picture Plaidy play poem poet poetic praise published pupils recollections Rome scene sculptor Sensier sketch song soon soul statue success talent Tannhäuser teacher tell thing thorough-bass thought tion took touch whole William Wetmore Story wish words write wrote young
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Page 155 - nature shall truly have her own way. If the uncanny comes into my life and that of those I love, it shall not be brought in by me." About a week after this I dined with the Bronce family. They were very cordial, and it seemed to me the most natural thing in the world to be sitting at their table.
Page 176 - MUSIC MANY love music but for music's sake, Many because her touches can awake Thoughts that repose within the breast half-dead, And rise to follow where she loves to lead. What various feelings come from days gone by! What tears from far-off sources dim the eye! Few, when light fingers with sweet voices play And melodies swell, pause, and melt away, Mind how at every touch, at every tone, A spark of life hath glistened and hath gone.
Page 88 - I know it rejoices you, and one word of praise from you is more truly precious to me, and makes me happier, than all the publics in the world applauding me in concert ; and thus to see you among the audience, would be the dearest of all rewards to me for my labours. My oratorio* is to be performed in Frankfort in November, so Schelble writes to me ; and much as I should like you to hear it soon, still I should prefer your hearing it first next year, at the Musical Festival. Before decidedly accepting...
Page 150 - I was quite overpowered by her masterfulness. If I had been more diligent and followed more willingly her strong lead I should in many points have been the better for it. But my unpardonable tendency to dreaming was already beginning to bring me the same difficulties which have accompanied me long enough throughout my life. Had I not inherited my mother's irrepressible energy as well as her musical capacity, I should never in any respect have succeeded in passing from dreams to deeds.
Page 148 - ... harmony. First a third, then a chord of three notes, then a full chord of four; ending at last, with both hands, oh, joy, a combination of five, the chord of the ninth. When I found that out my happiness knew no bounds.
Page 112 - This voyage I never shall forget as long as I live ; it lasted three and a half weeks, and was rich in mishaps. Thrice did we endure the most violent of storms, and once the captain found himself compelled to put into a Norwegian haven. The passage among the crags of Norway made a wonderful impression on my fancy ; the legends of the Flying Dutchman...
Page 15 - cry of the ground" was heard long ago. My critics are men of taste and education, but I cannot put myself in their shoes, and as I have never seen anything but fields since I was born, I try to say as best I can what I saw and felt when I was at work. Those who want to do better have, I'm sure, full chance.
Page 100 - With me it is exactly the reverse, and not only with regard to an entire speech, but also with individual words. These too seem to me so ambiguous, so vague, so easily misunderstood in comparison to genuine music, which fills the soul with a thousand things better than words.
Page 132 - Lass zu dem Glauben Dich neu bekehren, es gibt ein Gluck;" this is the only thing that is true and eternal. I cannot preach to you, nor explain it to you; but I will pray to God that He may powerfully illumine your heart through His faith and His love. You may scoff at this feeling as bitterly as you like. I cannot fail to see and desire in it the only salvation. Through Christ alone, through resigned suffering in God, salvation and rescue come to us. I had already indicated to you that I did not...
Page 71 - Too eager to arrive at a point where his true genius would find play, he assailed the marble with such violence, that he often struck off pieces which trenched into the just limits of the surface ; and as they could not be replaced, he was forced to finish as he could — not as he would. Had he confined himself more to elaborating his work in clay, and then intrusting the blocking out in marble to a mechanical workman, we should have had not only a much larger number of grand works by him, but they...