Charles Dickens and MusicLightwood, James T. (James Thomas)
General
Charles Dickens and Music
Lightwood, James T. (James Thomas)
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 -- Knowledge -- Music; Music and literature
We must not forget the eldest Miss Larkins, one of David
Copperfield's early, fleeting loves. He used to wander up and
down outside the home of his beloved and watch the officers
going in to hear Miss L. play the harp. On hearing of her
engagement to one of these he mourned for a very brief period,
and then went forth and gloriously defeated his old enemy
the butcher boy. What a contrast between this humour and the
strange scene in the drawing-room at James Steerforth's home
after Rosa Dartle had sung the strange weird Irish song to
the accompaniment of her harp! And how different, again, the
scene in the home of Scrooge's nephew (_C.C._) when, after tea,
'they had some music.'
Scrooge's niece played well upon the harp; and played,
among other things, a simple little air.
It reminded Scrooge of a time long past.
He softened more and more; and thought that if he
could have listened to it often, years ago, he might
have cultivated the kindnesses of life for his own
happiness with his own hand.
Little Paul Dombey told Lady Skettles at the breaking-up party
that he was very fond of music, and he was very, very proud of
his sister's accomplishments both as player and singer. Did they
inherit this love from their father? 'You are fond of music,'
said the Hon. Mrs. Skewton to Mr. Dombey during an interval
in a game of picquet. 'Eminently so,' was the reply. But the
reader must not take him at his word. When Edith (the future
Mrs. Dombey) entered the room and sat down to her harp,
Mr. Dombey rose and stood beside her, listening. He
had little taste for music, and no knowledge of the
strain she played; but he saw her bending over it,
and perhaps he heard among the sounding strings some
distant music of his own.
Yet when she went to the piano and commenced to sing Mr. Dombey
did not know that it was 'the air that his neglected daughter
sang to his dead son'!
_Piano_
Lady musicians are numerous, and of very varied degrees of
excellence. Amongst the pianists is Miss Teresa Malderton, who
nearly fell a prey to that gay deceiver Mr. Horatio Sparkins
(_S.B.T._ 5). Her contribution to a musical evening was
'The Fall of Paris,' played, as Mr. Sparkins declared, in a
masterly manner.
There was a song called 'The Fall of Paris,' but it is most
probable that Dickens was thinking of a very popular piece
which he must have often heard in his young days, of which
the full title was
THE SURRENDER OF PARIS. A characteristic Divertimento
for the Pianoforte, including the events from the Duke
of Wellington and Prince Blucher's marching to that
capital to the evacuation by the French troops and
taking possession by the Allies, composed by Louis
Jansen, 1816.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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