Show 11III WEIRD GIPSY MUSIC A rERFOBJIA > C BY KOUMAXIAN a raits KOH run AJirsejiEsr I OK IKANZ LiSZT When Franz Liszt was staying at the Castle Basil Alexandria InMir rend he expressed a wish to bear Roumanian gypsy music and his friendly host engaged a band of Opsle I to come They were gyimles from Jaffa and their leader was called llnrbu Lmilar All tho band wore sort of kaflana which wore belted In by girdles Thy also wore caps theejoklD and on their feet they had sandal When they were brought into the hall where them was a numerous company assembled each lie laid his hand on his heart and bowed deeply upon which the hot had them served with champagne as a greeting Then Barbu gave a sign by jointing with the first finger ol hIs left lulld UII immediately there resounded a otrangely peculiar mu Ic through tho InlL The Instruments consisted of fiddles flutes and the cobza the strings of whleh were beaten with drumsticks At fit they played a national march After it was finished the Roumanian Bo Jars who were present full of enthusiasm en-thusiasm threw gold pieces Into the old mans cup while they called Drink liarbu Lautar drink master mas-ter And the old leader sipped his 1 tt t sIn wine while bo kept tbe gold pieces In his mouth After that followed a gy mel city The whole melancholy of Steppes breathed from Its piece tl it gt l t when suddenly the song was interrupted inter-rupted by a thrill ciy of lamentation lamenta-tion then the Instrument stormed away In a wild prestissimo IIkea regiment of cavalry pasting over to an attack LItst was completely enchanted t blct fle Wo by the wonderful jrformanco of tho musical vagabjns of whom none knew a note and when at the close all broke out in applau he too went up to old Barbu threw gold pieces Into his cap ai > d drank to his health Theuhusold You have DOW made me acquainted w llli your music you hall also hear mine mIneVIth With these words the great Ir tuoso seated himself at the pianoforte piano-forte while every one listened eagerly eag-erly and all noise ceased After a short prelude the master improvised a Hungarian march whosii broad melody ho adorned most wonderfully wonder-fully with trills ami arpeggios Ho II ed f W n terms to intoxicate himself on the tune and to forget everything around him It was felt tint hit sought to give vent to his excitement excite-ment whleh was called forth by the PyW performance With fantastical fantast-ical swiftness his lingers flew over the key and always again resounded resound-ed the vibrating melody of the march through tlie cascades of rounds The hearers seemed rpeil boundaud hardly dared to breathe Old liarbu sUretl with wide open eyes at the player and not a notf escaped 1 him When the storm of applause hail subsided bleb bad broken out by this lmprol ation the old hailer too went to liszt with n glass of champagne in bis baud and lId Now it is my turu master to beg you to drink with me While the Kicat artht knocked hU glass agaInst the one held by the gjpsy be said Well liarbu wlitt say you to this melody It Is pretty master replied the old leader I would hIke to try to reproduce II if you will allow it Liszt smiled somewhat doubtfully but iioddt an assent Then Louts turned to hLiorehestra propped his fiddle up to hU chin and played the fluury J lt Hungarian march No trill no arpeggio and none of the ornaraen tlngsof the melody were wanting Note for note Barbu reproduced lie improvisation of the piano player on his violin His orchestra accompanied ac-companied him all the members keeping their eyes on timeId leader l and following the low bend which luis bow indicated though led by instinct Wheu the last sound had diet away Liszt sprang up clajicd the old fellow stormlly In his anus and called out completely cur i lured Bsrbu you arc truly nn artbt of Gods nler < yJr |