55.—PREJUDICE.
We hate to be convinced that our preconceived opinions and hastily uttered statements are not in accord with the facts of the case. Musicians and musical critics (the two terms are not always synonymous) are like the rest of the world in this. Few of us like to reform our ideas and retract our dogmatic statements even in the face of overwhelming proof that we are wrong.
An amusing incident illustrating this peculiarity of the human race occurred during the rivalry that existed between Sontag and Malibran. The former lady was a German. It was a favorite idea of the friends of her rival that only Italians, or those of the Italian school, could do any singing worthy of the name; hence, Sontag could not sing.
So great was the prejudice against German singers in their own country that Frederick the Great, when asked to hear Mara sing, declared: "What! Hear a German singer! I should as soon expect to derive pleasure from the neighing of my horse!"
It is true that Germany has produced fewer great singers than other musical countries. While Germany boasts Devrient, Titiens, Lucca, Mara and Sontag, for every one of these we have a score of non-German singers of equal or greater worth.
An Italian critic who had not heard Sontag was, in spite of this prejudice against German singers, persuaded to go and hear her one night. After listening a short time, he rose from his seat and made preparations to leave the house.
"What, you are not going?" said his friend, who was an admirer of the German songstress. "Stay a little longer and you will be convinced that a German can sing."
"I know it," answered the Italian; "therefore I go!"