Martin Gerbert: Priest, Prince, Scholar, and Musician (Concluded) Author(S): Fr
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Martin Gerbert: Priest, Prince, Scholar, and Musician (Concluded) Author(s): Fr. Niecks Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 23, No. 478 (Dec. 1, 1882), pp. 646-649 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3358380 Accessed: 08-04-2016 00:34 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular This content downloaded from 130.113.111.210 on Fri, 08 Apr 2016 00:34:00 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 646 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1882. MARTIN GERBERT: fessor, " the prince keeps a few secular officials, who live in special buildings beside the convent and have PRIEST, PRINCE, SCHOLAR, AND MUSICIAN. their meals at court. With them he holds every BY FR. NIECKS. three weeks conferences, causes letters and accounts (Concluded from page 58S.) to be laid before him, and works himself much with NICOLAI, who corroborates the authorities just them. Immediately under him stands the father quoted, remarks of the inner constitution of the grand-cellarer. The father chief-accountant examines monastery that the inmates of the latter consisted of all the accounts of the provosts, bailiffs, superiors, six classes: (I) of young people who were educated and stewards, and, according to the tax, receives a there and trained for their future vocations; (2) of ducat for it from every accountant as soon as the teachers in the various scientific branches of their account has been checked and he has sent them the calling; (3) of priests who administered to the neigh- absolutorium, which the prince himself signs. This bouring filial churches; (4) of persons whose duty ducat the chief-accountant spends for the natural it was to attend to the temporal concerns; (5) of history cabinet . As Count of Bonndorf the prince the old and sick who enjoyed their deserved rest and keeps three soldiers, privates, who relieve each other nursing; and (6) of lay-brothers who carried on the in standing guard at the portal. For his attendance necessary trades and performed the various household a valet, a young hussar, a coachman, and an outrider offices. To form, however, an adequate idea of the are appointed." Indeed, Prince-Abbot Martin, like magnitude and importance of this religious commu- all truly great men, did not care much for outward nity, we must take note that, besides the members show. Although he had rich Pectoralia--one with who resided at St. Blaise, there were others living emeralds, the other with diamonds, gifts of the more or less far away from it, teaching at gymnasia or Empress Maria Theresa-he generally wore only a in universities, acting as pastors or provosts in different simple gold cross on his breast. parts of the territory belonging to the monastery. Nicolai, in describing the prince-abbot, says that And I may here remark that this territory was not at there was " something hearty, something modest and all insignificant. It was divided into thirteen parishes courteous, and yet very dignified, about him; some- and twenty-five bailiwicks ; comprised thirty-five thing serene, jovial, and yet very decorous, in his boroughs and villages, besides hamlets and isolated face, in his carriage, and in his whole being." And farms; had a population of ii,6oo serfs; and yielded he adds : " After the example of this noble abbot also a revenue which left the monastery, after all expenses the canons have formed themselves. They are all were paid, a clear profit of Ioo,ooo florins annually. learned men, and in all of them one notices the For these statistics, which will help us to understand serene, courteous, candid, and hearty manner, com- better what the author of "A Journey to St. Blaise" bined with the same decorum and propriety, which is going to tell us, I am indebted to Joseph Bader. distinguish their superior." In the same strain To resume, then, our professor's account: " A great writes Professor Sander of the secular servants of number of fratres conversi, or laici, are here, who, the prince, whose courteous, obliging, generous, and indeed, have taken the vow and wear also the black humane character, he says, they imitated; whence dress, but are not priests, nor do they ever become it came that the subjects were not heard to grumble such. They wear, to distinguish them from the or complain. The account in Schlichtegroll's priests, small moustaches, manage the household "Nekrolog" confirms Nicolai's and Sander's state- matters, have not studied, know well and practise in ments, and makes the portrait still more lifelike by the monastery their trades, are printers, compositors, adding some further touches. We learn from it bookbinders, apothecaries, joiners, &c." With re- that Gerbert was beneficent to the poor, a lover of gard to what is here said about the lay-brothers, I peace, and in friendly intercourse and correspond- may remark that the prince-abbot seems to have ence with men of different religious confessions. encouraged the pursuit of the trades as much as the Here are some of the most interesting parts of this pursuit of the sciences-to have spent money as characterisation : "The serene and affable mien of liberally in buying tools and mechanical instruments Gerbert announced already the inner calm of his as in buying books, manuscripts, maps, medals, and mind and his universal benevolence. There was the like. He very frequently paid the apprentice-fee nothing pharisaical about him, but much dignity; for youths to enable them to learn a useful art. nothing Jesuitical, but much refinement. His pleas- And now we come to what Nicolai, notwithstanding ing exterior, no doubt, did much to prepossess people all the highly remarkable things that were to be seen in his favour. Many persons who made his acquaint- at St. Blaise, declares to have been the most remark- ance spoke of their intercourse with him with en- able object-namely, the Prince-Abbot Martin. " The thusiasm. His modest manners incited one to love prince likes to live in one of the upper storeys; his modesty; the moral expression of his physiognomy rooms announce rather the learned and ever-busy recommended to one morality; his imposing appear- man than the man of rank. They are large and ance taught one to respect order, difference of rank, roomy, in order that, when interrupted in his work by and subordination. He was a model of genuine humi- strangers or persons from the monastery who wish lity, and his sensibility of heart was such as I have as to speak with him, he may at once walk about with yet rarely found in a monk. Gerbert loved to animate them and take a little exercise. Only about Advent his social conversations with playful allusions and a and Shrove-tide he lives for the sake of self-contem- certain kind of witty ambiguity; but this was always plation for a short time in the monastery." At done in a way which showed that he had enjoyed other times he resided in the abbey, which was manifold intercourse with cultivated society. His separated from the monastery by the choir of the behaviour in company was throughout placid, gentle, church. According to the necrologist, the prince- and affable, although he had only by a careful self- abbot adhered inviolably to the order of the day, education conquered his naturally hot temperament." which he had fixed once for all: devoting the three The example of the prince-abbot's wit quoted by first hours to prayers and religious exercises; assist- the necrologist is not exactly distinguished by bril- ing daily, even when travelling, at two masses; pass- liancy: it shines at best only with a mild radiance. ing afterwards all the time which his administra- But the kindly tone of the voice and the smile on the tive duties left free-often seven hours a day-at the face went, no doubt, for something in the effect it writing-desk or in the library. "As for the govern- produced. "I am myself an artist," said the great ment of the little ecclesiastical state," says our pro- man on one occasion; "for I have spent a great deal This content downloaded from 130.113.111.210 on Fri, 08 Apr 2016 00:34:00 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1882. 647 of money in apprentice-fees." (Ich bin selbst Germany, which he attributes to the fashion of imi- ein Artist; denn ich habe gar vieles Lehrgeld tating the Italians in a worldly taste instead of fol- gegeben.) lowing the example of the papal chapel, where nothing " Two chief traits in the character of the prince- but that music which alone is worthy of the church abbot were the great simplicity of his mind, which -i.e., that of the human voice-is admitted. distinguished all his actions, and the burning zeal for Even if there were no other evidence we might religion, as he conceived it from his point of view. gather from these few remarks that genuine church But, not to judge him wrongly in the latter respect, music had a home at St.