Not up to Expectation.

Otago Witness, Issue 2179, 28 November 1895, Page 55

Not up to Expectation.

The late Hans yon Balow was taking infinite paius in drilling his orchestra lor an early performance of Beethoven's "Ninth SymphoDy," aud the musical epicures of Meimngen were revelling in the anticipation of a huge treat. A high personage at court, mote impatient thmi the rtst, t-xpreased an ardent wish to alt* nd one of the rehearsals. The conductor was greately annoyed, but could not decline the hoi:our. Howuver, he planutd a little scheme for speedily getting rid of his unwelcome audiei)ce. Whin the exalted lady and her attendants had taken thtir ssats and the rehearsal was about to begin. Yon Bulow called upon the bassoonist to play his part alone from beginning to end. The man obeyed, and btg-iu to draw from hs weird iu3tiumeut a series ot incoherent grunts and groar-s, which were painful to listen to when unaccompanied by tlie other parta. It wss the moßt horrible solo that had ever been heard. Yon Bulow occasionally interrupted the performance, demanding a repetition of certain particularly discordant passages with suggested E>odifie&tiouß, and when tha bassoouiat had finished he ordered him to play tliß whole of his part over again. This was too much for the great lady. She hastily rose and confessed to the conductor that the afE*ir had been rather different from what she had been led to expect, adding th&t " it was very interesting, no doubt, but somawhafc fatiguing " ; whereupon ehe took her departure. Yon Bulow's face beamed with satisfaction as she left the building, and he gave the signal for the rehearsal proper to commence.