How could they pretend that he did not like music when they inflicted so much of it on him, in that work at any rate? It was ridiculous. That is the sort of legend with which they overwhelm so many poets.
Théophile Gautier, who, they said, considered music the most costly of all noises, knew and liked other marvellous artists too well to disparage our art. Besides, who can forget his critical articles on music which his daughter Judith Gautier, of the Goncourt Academy, has just collected in one volume with pious care, and which are uncommonly and astonishingly just appreciations.
Leconte de Lisle was a fervent admirer of Wagner and of Alphonse Daudet, of whom I shall speak later, and had a soul most sensitive to music.
In spite of the snow I went to the country in December to shut myself up for a few days with my wife's good parents and I wrote the music of Les Erinnyes.
Dusquesnel placed forty musicians at my disposal, which, under the circumstances, was a considerable expense and a great favor. Instead of writing a score for the regular orchestra—which would have produced only a paltry effect—I had the idea of having a quartet of thirty-six stringed instruments corresponding to a large orchestra. Then I added three trombones to represent the three Erinnyes: Tisiphone, Alecto and Megere, and a pair of kettle-drums. So I had my forty.
I again thank that dear director for this unusual luxury of instruments. I owed the sympathy of many musicians to it and to him.
As I was already occupied with an opéra-comique in three acts which a young collaborator of Ennery's had obtained for me from the manager of the theater—how my memory flies to Chantepie, vanished from the stage too early—I received a letter from du Locle, then director of the Opéra-Comique, telling me that this work, Don César de Bazan, must be ready in November.
The cast was: Mlle. Priola, Mme. Galli Marie, already famous as Mignon, later the never to be forgotten Carmen, and a young beginner with a well trained voice and charming presence, M. Bouchy.
The work was put on hastily with old scenery, which so displeased Ennery that he never appeared in the theater again.
Madame Galli took the honors of the evening with several encores. The Entr'acte Sevillana was also applauded. The work, however, did not succeed for it was taken off the bill after the thirteenth performance. Joncières, the author of Dimitri, pled my cause in vain before the Société des Auteurs, of which Auguste Maquet was president, arguing that they had no right to withdraw a work which still averaged so good receipts. They were kind words lost! Don César was played no more.