REVER, THE COMPOSER.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12487, 13 March 1909, Page 4

REVER, THE COMPOSER.

Mr John N. Raphael, the Paris correspondent of the London "Standard," tells some good stories of Reyer. He was appointed' libarian of the Paris opera, but he took his duties so lightly that it was six years before he paid his first visit to the office. He used to tell the story himself with great relish. He went to the place one oveniug at dusk. He lost his way in I ohe great Opera House, and wanderpd up and down narrow passages and dark corridors until he ran up againsD Jt uoor Keeper^ wiiom ho had passed ifci/o or three times already! 'i'he man,

ho distrusted the stranger^ stopped. JBjyer and said, "Who are you, and iWiere arc you going}"' Reyer looked him up and down. "I am the libar- ( ian," he said haughtily, "and I am ilcjKing ior tub' library."

C'unously . enough, there was . one .thing Ernest Reyer detested above ail .things, and that was the piano, He nsed to work with ify but he hated to have to sit down, and hear other peoje play. One day a young musician called on him with a warm letter of introduction from a mutual friend. Beyer received, him ,and, " wincing, lasked him to play the two pieces .which his friend had recommended. After the first one the pianist turned (expectantly to the composer. "What do you think of that?" he asked. "1 (prefer- the other one,' said Reyer. £nd the young -man left without iplayingat. When ho was on the stairs ifche old composer leaned over- the >anuister and called to him. "Your future is assured, young man," he said "you have nearly learned when to stop, but if you had left me off the the first piece... top — — ," and, chuckJing, he went into his flat again. a young lady once sang him the grand air from "Sigurd,"" and sang it tether '-badly*:?'- 1 was so frightened, pher-maitre,".she said. "Not nearly po frightened as I was," was the old gnan's: answer. And if; he never paid compliments, IBmest Reyer was consistent enough |( detest gush in others. One day a

. iady of , the Faubourg Saint Germain jßiid to him, "Oh, Monsieur -Beyer,' ph. cher maitre, wnen I hear the ajr' fc'the Doves in. 'Salammbo' I can posi-: I, vely see. you writing it. I can see you in -your beautiful home in Pro-, jFence, between, the mountains and the 6ea, drawing inspiration from the sun-i inline of the South, and^ "Ernest JReyor interrupted her. "There; is Something the matter with your eyeftijht, Madame la Duchesse," he fowled; "when I composed that air i was sitting on the top of an omnibus .noking a pipe , and it was raiuing in rrehts."