excerpt from 'Thirty Years of Musical Life in London, 1870-1900' pp. 60 (163 words)
excerpt from 'Thirty Years of Musical Life in London, 1870-1900' pp. 60 (163 words)
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[In 1876] there happened to be residing in London an elderly Italian musician named Deliguoro, upon whom fortune had not smiled very kindly, and who frequently enjoyed the hospitality of my parents' house. An admirable contrapuntist, stuffed full of musical learning, he had the technique of composition at his fingers' ends; but of individual or fresh ideas his brain was utterly devoid. Like most disappointed geniuses, he was unable to perceive his own lack of originality. Once he played me a melody in mazurka rhythm a commonplace enough Neapolitan tune which he fondly regarded as an inspiration; and I shall never forget the old gentleman's horror when, a day or two afterward, he caught me strumming his piece by ear upon the piano. I had to swear by all his own particular saints that I would never even hum his tune again. "Some one would be sure to steal it." He was utterly oblivious to the fact that he had virtually stolen it himself. |
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