Perhaps, as in Wagner's case, the uncontrollable gayety
and hectic humors were but so many signs of a fatal
disintegrating process. Wagner outlived them until the Scriptural
age, but Chopin succumbed when grief, disappointment and intense
feeling had undermined him. For the dissipations of the "average
sensual man" he had an abiding contempt. He never smoked, in fact
disliked it. His friend Sand differed greatly in this respect,
and one of the saddest anecdotes related by De Lenz accuses her
of calling for a match to light her cigar: "Frederic, un
fidibus," she commanded, and Frederic obeyed. Mr. Philip Hale
mentions a letter from Balzac to his Countess Hanska, dated March
15, 1841, which concludes: "George Sand did not leave Paris last
year. She lives at Rue Pigalle, No. 16...Chopin is always there.
Elle ne fume que des cigarettes, et pas autre chose" Mr. Hale
states that the italics are in the letter. So much for De Lenz
and his fidibus!
I am impelled here to quote from Mr. Earnest Newman's "Study of
Wagner" because Chopin's exaltation of spirits, alternating with
irritability and intense depression, were duplicated in Wagner.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25