The Story of Mozart for Young Readers

Sample passage:
It was Holy Week when the father and son reached Rome. In the Sistine Chapel, where most impressive ceremonies were being held, something of the art of the great Romans still lived and ruled. In this chapel during three days only of Holy Week, for over two hundred years, had been sung a beautiful Miserere written for this special service by Allegri. So highly esteemed was this music that it was carefully guarded, every musician of the chapel having been forbidden to copy it or lend any part of it, upon pain of dismissal from the church, which meant lifelong disgrace.

Much might be written of this service and its peculiar effect upon the hearts of the people. Long after little Wolfgang’s visit he used often to say, “How I felt there! How I felt there!” And when Mendelssohn heard it he said that the Miserere was the most sublime moment of the whole service. At the time of Mozart’s visit there had never been but three copies of the Miserere written and they were as jealously guarded as the original.

On the fourth day of the Holy Week young Mozart heard the service for the first time. Ah, wonderful fairy who gave to him that keenly sensitive ear, and that vividly retentive memory, what mischief have you wrought! On the fifth day he came again, wearing his cocked hat with a jaunty wisdom which none but the fairies could divine; for in the cocked hat was a folded paper, and on the paper was the whole of the sacredly guarded Miserere! The boy had written it all from memory. While the music was being sung again Wolfgang took out the paper and quietly corrected his few errors, and we may fancy him nodding over his treasure as if saying, “I take my own wherever I find it.”