126.—SPOHR AS A HORN PLAYER.
Ludwig Spohr, besides being a violinist and composer of note, was a man of much resource, and had a goodly fund of humor. He relates many interesting experiences in his "Autobiography," from which we get the following story. He tells us that in 1808, when Napoleon entertained various sovereigns of Europe at Erfurt, there was announced to be given before these potentates some of the great French tragedies, by actors brought from Paris for the occasion, prominent among whom was the great Talma. Spohr and some of his pupils took a pedestrian trip from Gotha to Erfurt, more in the hopes of seeing this celebrated French tragedian than the assembled sovereigns.
On their arrival they found, much to their chagrin, that the common people were not to be admitted to the theater, as every seat was reserved for the royal personages and their suites. This was a dilemma. But Spohr was equal to it. He had come there to see Talma, and see him he did. He sought out four musicians of the theater orchestra and bribed them to allow himself and his pupils to take their places in the theater. But even then he was met by another obstacle. Three of these musicians were violin or 'cello players. So far as they were concerned all was well, for Spohr's pupils could play those instruments. But the fourth was a horn player; and here came the trouble, for none of the four visitors could play that instrument.
There was nothing for it but Spohr must learn to play the horn; so he set about it, practiced all day, and by evening was ready to play his part. At the theatre they were placed with their backs toward their royal audience, and forbidden to look around to satisfy their curiosity concerning the rulers of the earth. But Spohr was also equal to this emergency, for he had provided himself with a small mirror, and by this means was able to see at least the reflections of the sovereigns of Europe. But he finally became so absorbed in the magnificent acting of the tragic artists that he handed over the mirror to his pupils and gave his entire attention to the stage.
The severe practice that he had been through in learning to play the horn at such short notice, resulted in a pair of swollen and painful lips. On his return to Gotha, when his young wife expressed surprise and alarm at his negro-like appearance, he coolly told her that his lips had come to that condition by the frequent kissing of the pretty Erfurt women. But when the truth came out the joke was on him.