A STORY OF CHOPIN.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1903, Page 13

A STORY OF CHOPIN.

Spirited disbuwdon has arisen in Parisian musical circles in legard to tho circumstances in which Chopin's famous "Funerol March" was composed. Several versions of tho story have been related. Ziein, tho well-known painter, now in tho twilight of his career, who was an intimate lifelong friend of Chopin, has been interviewed on th 6 subject by several Parisian journalists. It wa« my good fortune to meet Z^iem a few days ngo. Ho seemed in excellent health. His rosy complexion was heightened by snowwhite hair and ne«tly cropped eilvery beard. When questioned upon the subject of Oltopin's " Funeral March," tho veteran pamtef became quite animated, and, talking to a group of journalists, among whom was ono editor of tho Matin, recounted tho circumstances of the composition of the march" wliich*bas become the inuftioal feature of two-thirds of the funerals thivb t«ke place in France. Ziem stroked his forehead with his hand as if to refresh his memory, and in a low, sympathetic voice began his story, which ran very much as follows: — " It was 1 fifty-five or fifty-six years ago. It was after a cosy little dinner in my studio. Among those "present wore Chevendier do Valdrome, Ludro, Princo PoHgnac. Rica-rd, tho painter, Chopin, and mysolf. In those days I had some fine old Aubusson tapestries of very lnrge dimensions. These tapestries, hanging from tho beams of the building, separated tho studio into three rooms. In one of the compartments was a human skeleton, upon which I used to arrange various costumos of silk, brocrtdfe 6r velvet, and which served as a, sort of model. Noar the skeleton was a very poor, rickety pinno, that I had bought for forty francs from a dealer in 'old furnitlire. I had Sawed out four of tho panels of tho piano to paint four pictures on them. 80 you can imagine that tho pialm itself was little more than a skeleton, and t>ho keys rattled mosb lugubriously. I had been lucky enough to havo Sold hnlf a dozon pictures that fetched what in those days were considered very. high prices. Consequently I felt very merry, and had regaled my friends with a sumptuous dinner, accompanied by copious draughts of rod nnd white wine from, tho Touraine country. It came into my head to perpetrate a practical joke. I .wari sitting with Ricard in the compartment where tho skeleton and tho piano stood. I wrapped long pieces of white and black liice about, tho skeleton*, and, pushing it between the tapestries into" the adjoining room hold it upright, nnd agitated it so as, to give tho appearanc* of a gluwrt, while I myself was conceited by tho tapestry hangings. " The scene was grotesque nnd provoked renbVcd gaiety. The Touraine wine, poured forth in profusion, caused a phase of what may bo described as sentimental intoxication. Princo Polignao after a while seized the skeleton in his arm/*, embraced it, and finally enveloped himself and tho skeleton beneath the snmo laco veils. Th 6 effect was decidedly weird and sugtfwtivo of death. Thero wero more bouts of tlio good Touraino wino, which contained a great deal of sunshine and effervescence. Polignnc, now fairly glued to tho skeleton, sat down with it bef6re the broken-down, rickety piano, and, striking the keys, played on impromptu, bdt incoherent, air. It was indeed droll to bee tho skeloton of a man seated bofore tho skeleton of a piano. Chopin sormed greatly iinpresticif by tho sight. Ho drank a goblet of white wino known as ' vln do Vouvrny,' and, as if seized with* an incontrollnblo inspiration, shouted ' Oh| oh I' rushed at tho piano, pulled Polignac away from tho human ukoloton, and, taking the skeleton in hit hands, swung it over his back, the Arms and hands hanging over his own shoulders, and tho skull in juxtaposition with his own head. "In this position Chopin sat and played tho rickety piano. The first notes wero So stirring, solemn, and impressive that suddenly we all became silent. We wero enraptured by the music, notwithstanding the wretched condition of tho instrnment. After listening for a few minutes wo burst forth into genuine admiration and applause. It was then that wo realised that Chopin hod composed one of bis finest works. It was a delightful and memorable evening, I remember it as if it were yesterday, ml tho other Strange stories that havo been related about tho composition of the famous 'Funeral March 1 are imaginative exaggerations."

! After Ziom had finished this interest ing 1 reininuKcnco of his old friend Chopin, ho became quite sad and emotional, and biido us a somewhtit forlorn fnie^-ull.— • C.1.8., in tho New York Tribune. .