“All the poets in Paris, from Scribe to Victor Hugo, offer me subjects, but those idiotic directors stand in the way. Some day I will set my foot upon their necks.
“Now I must be off to the office of the Débats with my article on Beethoven’s C Minor.
“Meyerbeer is coming soon to superintend his Huguenots, which I am most anxious to hear. He is the only recognised musician who has shown a keen interest in me.
“Onslow has been paying me his usual bombastic compliments on the Pilgrim’s March. I am glad to think there was not a word of truth in them, I prefer open hatred to honeyed venom.”
XXIII
THE REQUIEM
In 1836 M. de Gasparin, Minister of the Interior, feeling that religious music should be better supported, allocated, yearly, a sum of 3000 francs to be given to a French composer, chosen by the Minister, for either a mass or an oratorio; his idea being also to have it executed at the expense of the Government.
“I shall begin with Berlioz,” he said, “I am sure he could write a good Requiem.”
A friend of M. de Gasparin’s son told me this. My surprise was only equalled by my delight, but, to make sure, I asked an audience of M. de Gasparin.
“It is quite true,” he said, “I am going out of office, and this is my last bequest. You have, of course, received the official notification.”
“No, monsieur; it was by a mere chance that I heard of your kind intentions towards me.”