THE PATH OF GENIUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20626, 26 July 1930, Page 21

THE PATH OF GENIUS.

DEBUSSY'S MARRIAGE

A wistful yet humorous light is thrown on the early days of the French composer Debussy by a lawsuit now occupying one of the tribunals in Paris. It roniinds us —if we need reminding—that the path of a creative genius is thorny indeed. The action in question is brought by tho heirs of the composer of Pcllcas and Melisande against tho first Mme. Debussy, who tells this tale. When Debussy and his young wife stopped out into the street after tho Mayor had made them man and wife, tho musician turned out his pockets to see if he had enough money to pay for a little wedding lunch. 110 found exactly half a crown.

The pair sat down on a bench to consider the situation. Suddenly Debussy had an illumination. "Sapristi!" ho exclaimed, "it is the day I give a music lesson to Mme. X." Leaving the bride on tho bench, the musician darted across Paris to his waiting pupil, an elderly but wealthy woman who appreciated his talent. ]{,. apologised for being late and explained that the marriage at the town hall had detained him.

With beautiful insight the pupil guessed what was tho matter. "Let me settle my little account with you first," she said, handing him a. banknote, "and now bring your bride here and let me make her acquaintance. ou must both lunch with me to-dav !"

Debussy's music startled Paris at first, and then made many converts and disciples. He has been reproached for sacrificing the, singers to the orchestra in his work, though to a far less degree than did Wagner, whom ho greatly admired. At tho rehearsals of his beautiful work Saint Sebastien, with d'Annunzio's libretto, and created by Tda Rubinstein, Debussy battled with the chorus. "What is the use of my writing this music if your singers are going to scream loud enough to drown it?" he shouted once to M. Inge,lbiedit, who was at their head. "Good, dear master!" the leader replied, wiping his brow, and hushed his choir. Rut that was in 1911, and Debussy and his wife had already parted. It is as Mine. Woxier that she is now defending herself against the second Mme. Debussy's family.