In the Eye of a Storm (2 page)
Dussek placed a Mozart Sonata on the music rack. It was composed as a
duet for two players. ‘Do you know that Mozart himself has a Johann Stein
fortepiano? The fortepiano is not a new instrument either as old Bach played
one built by Silbermann back in 1747 three years before he died. Bach was
nearly blind then and was visiting King Frederick the Great at Sans Souci, his
summer palace. But goodness me, I talk too much. I ramble on so, don’t I?
Laneve, you play the soprano staves and Marie, read the bass. You can both fit
comfortably together on this wide piano bench. Now, my two fine students, let
me hear you begin.’
What wonder and joy the two young women experienced as they exulted in
the beautiful tone of this instrument. When they completed the sonata, Laneve
and Marie changed places to enable them to work with the different registers.
Next Marie chose and performed a solo piece that was fast and brilliant. Laneve
then selected slower music that gave full reign to her great expressive powers.
They laughingly played duets together again and after hugging one another in
sheer delight, each added another solo. And so an afternoon of learning,
exploration and great joy flew by. The beautiful new fortepiano was coaxed into
presenting all of its potential in a dazzling variety of music making.
‘My goodness, look at the clock!’ Dussek suddenly noticed that the sun
was setting and it was well past the time that Marie and Laneve should be
leaving. ‘Your parents will be furious if I keep you after dark.’ But what did
it matter as today Marie had discovered that she longed to work further with a
new instrument and Laneve realized that she had finally found the perfect
vehicle to give wings to her expressive powers. And both young women laughed
and embraced one another again knowing that each of them had found a new
friend.
‘We must stay in contact and we will play again for each other,’ they
called out as they said their farewells. When the coaches had collected them
and they departed Dussek mused aloud. ‘This has been an interesting and
successful afternoon. How fortunate I am to have purchased this grand new
instrument. And isn’t it wonderful how music can draw different people closer
together.’ Then he lingered by the window enjoying the flashes of brilliant
colour painting the sky - hues of gold, crimson and pale pink created by
the setting sun. He called for a glass of wine and his cigars which were
brought to him, as he sat in the deepening twilight thinking on his good
fortune. Filled with a sudden joy Dussek raised his glass speaking aloud to the
sinking sun, ‘
Mais
oui
, Paris is so wonderful that I hope I never
have to leave. My career is flourishing, my students are talented and I shall
stay here forever.’
One day as Laneve returned home from a music lesson and lunch with
Marie, her mother met her at the front door. Mama was breathless and agitated.
‘Laneve, tonight you must dress most beautifully. Rene, the Marquis de Marais
will be our guest at dinner and he wishes to speak formally to Papa afterward.
Wear your green silk dress with the cream lace, the one with the hemline that
reaches the floor. You must not expose you ankles this evening as everything
must be perfect. I’ll lend you my pearls again as they set off the dress so well.
And your hair - but what can I say. I am only your Mama, with your best
interests at heart.’
‘Mama, why all this excitement and why does the marquis want to speak
to Papa after our dinner?’
‘Papa and I both hope that tonight he will formally request your hand
in marriage. Oh, this is such an honour for our family and you are so
fortunate. You are now of marriageable age and de Marais is one of the
nobility. You could raise the social profile of our family so much as he also
has a title. Just think, dear child, you could become the Marquise de Marais!’
‘Oh Mama, he’s just coming to dinner again although I’m looking forward
to it as I always do. Rene is such enjoyable company. It’s a pity we don’t see
more of him. But this wish of yours – oh it’s too much to even think
about. Let’s just see what happens.’
Later that evening, after a delightful meal and Laneve’s musical
entertainment, her father finally summoned her to the drawing room. Mama stood
before her feverish with excitement. The marquis held both hands out to her as
he stepped forward and spoke very gently.
‘Laneve, for several years I have been enchanted by your presence and
your great gifts. You would do me such an honour if you would accept my offer
to become my wife?’ Laneve’s father then stepped forward.
‘My dearest daughter, I have given my permission to the Marquis de
Marais but we all await your reply. Do you wish to offer it now or wait upon it
for more consideration?’
Laneve knew what she must do, what she truly wanted to do and took the
hands of the marquis in her own as she smiled and looked into his eyes. ‘Your
words this evening have filled my heart with happiness. It would bring me great
joy to accept your offer, dear Rene.’
And so it was decided. Although he was considerably older than Laneve,
Rene had captivated her. He was also loving, courteous, and handsome and he
took a lively and supportive interest in her musical talents. In addition to
his position within the aristocracy he was also a man of high political
stature. Because of his fluency in German, Russian and Hungarian languages,
combined with his diplomatic skills, he was frequently sent abroad on difficult
missions by King Louis XVI. But most pleasing of all, Laneve could finally look
forward to having a husband and a home of her own. Here she could live, dress,
entertain and build her own lifestyle, away from Mama. And after their wedding
she would learn to know him better and to love him, for this was the way of all
marriages within the French nobility.
After their wedding, Laneve and her husband moved into the stately
Chateau Marais outside of the village of Montmorency. It was situated in a
valley, surrounded by gardens and forests a short distance northwest of Paris.
Her
beloved companion and friend, Malande, also joined her in her new
home.
At last Laneve was free to set her own good taste within the expansive
estate. Its music room housed her large harpsichord together with her favourite
wedding gift, a Viennese fortepiano presented to her by Rene. He enjoyed
hearing her play, both for himself and their guests, after their frequent
dinners with friends. They spent long periods of time together conversing about
their interests, and reading aloud to one another from the books in his
extensive library. He also introduced her to lovely walks taken in the
evenings, through the gardens and woodlands. Near an old English oak tree, arm
in arm they often watched the moon rise beneath a canopy of shining stars.
As the Marquis de Marais was in demand for his skills in diplomacy and
languages, he occasionally spent periods of time away from Laneve and their
chateau. It brought him much pleasure to note that her interest in music
sustained her while he was travelling outside of France. He also encouraged her
to invite her friends to keep her company, thus her relationship with Marie
Duval had grown even closer.
After bidding a tearful farewell to Rene on one of his voyages, her
heart was soaring as she made plans for a visit from Marie. She would be
arriving later that morning.
‘Please set our luncheon table with three places today,’ Laneve told
Malande, who was now her official housekeeper.
‘Set one place at the head for me, another on my right for Marie and
the third on my left for a surprise guest. I wonder who this could
be? Marie only told me that I will be delighted. You know how she always
enjoys planning a surprise.’
‘
Oui
, Laneve. We have already chosen the main part of the menu
but what shall cook present as a light dessert?’
‘Instruct her to prepare three little bowls of Montmorency cherries –
the small pinkish ones that are slightly tart. I believe she has some already
soaking in brandy. Serve these with a jug of fresh cream. My guests will enjoy
them so much.’
Moments later Marie alighted from her coach, accompanied by a short and
slightly built man. After embracing Laneve and kissing her on both cheeks she
turned to the surprise guest. ‘Laneve, may I present the current toast of
Paris, Giovanni Battista Viotti.’
Laneve was overcome. Here he stood before her, the Italian whose name
was on everyone’s lips. Viotti had come to Paris after a successful concert
tour of Germany, Poland and Switzerland. No one in France even knew his name -
until he presented his debut performance at the
Paris Concert Spirituel
.
When he first placed his violin under his chin and drew his bow across the
strings, such beauty poured forth from the soul of this modestly quiet man
alone on the stage that Paris was stunned. His playing was now on everyone’s
lips.
‘Viotti played here last evening and they wouldn’t let him leave the
stage.’
‘Did you hear that Queen Marie Antoinette was so impressed with him
that she has made him the Court Composer at Versailles. He now gives music
lessons to the royal children.’
‘Do you know that Viotti is being offered a fortune to play at the most
exclusive salons. When he leaves Paris he will carry bags of gold away with
him.’
After their lunch Marie asked Laneve to perform with their guest. ‘He
has brought several of his own sonatas and would like you to play with him.
Don’t say no, as I’ll be so pleased just to listen to you both.’ Laneve placed
his music on her new fortepiano and began to improvise while Viotti brought out
his violin and tuned it. Then they both began to play.
Beautiful sounds filled the music room, its resonance lingering in the
silences. From this very first moment it was as though Laneve and Viotti could
hear the music through a single pair of ears, could express the music through
one totally sympathetic voice and play together with a single heart.
Hours passed like minutes until Viotti exclaimed, ‘Enough now. Laneve,
Marquise de Marais, would you consider the possibility of joining me on the
concert stage? You would be doing me a great honour as you are one of the
finest pianists in France.’
‘Yes, it would be my pleasure to work with you,’ she answered. And so
the two musicians began a partnership that would bring fame to both and would
link their names together as foremost artists in France’s musical history.
Viotti and the Marquise de Marais first became associated in French musical
circles through a succession of brilliant concerts.
During the coming years they performed in chateaus, in private salons
and for Marie Antoinette’s exclusive recitals at
le Petit Trianon
. They
organized and presented one of the first publicly sold subscription concert
series at the
Theatre de Monsieur
. Viotti began to acknowledge her
privately and in public as, ‘the lily of France.’
Their artistic partnership led them into the highest levels of
excellence and success. But as it is with many talented people, they also
had their detractors. There were some who were critical, openly jealous and
often dangerous as the future would reveal.
On an early spring day in 1789, Laneve was hosting another of her
lunches. These gatherings regularly welcomed small groups of France’s creative
and intelligent young women while their stimulating conversation always lifted
Laneve’s spirits.
Earlier in the morning, the three invited guests had walked through her
lovely gardens admiring the first crocuses and the flowering almond and peach
blossoms. A bouquet of their deep pink buds and mauve double lilacs decorated
the dining room.
Gathered around the table were an artistic group that included:
Adelaide Labille-Guiard, a renowned portrait painter who had recently been
accepted to the Academie Royale, Angelique Gretry, who had successfully
composed her second opera and Marie Duval, now a concert pianist and young
mother. While their conversation was lively at first, a sense of consternation
soon filled the air.
‘Oh Laneve, you don’t know how fortunate you are to live in the countryside,
away from Paris. The city is becoming a very dangerous place now. Why only the
other day the king and queen were jeered openly in public as they attended a
theatre performance,’ remarked Adelaide.
‘Yes, I too have a story to tell you,’ said Marie. ‘Last week my
grandmere paid a visit to Madame de Leanour and on her way home a group of
young hoodlums threw stones at the coach. One of them even tried to force the
door open. Thankfully the post rider used his whip to drive them away.
Grandmere is so frightened now that she won’t leave her home.’
‘Yes, there is much looting going on in Paris and terrible pamphlets
are being printed and passed around everywhere. All of them are filled with
hateful messages about certain members of the nobility, particularly the
queen,’ Angelique added.
Then Laneve spoke. ‘I hear that all of the very poor people are
becoming difficult to control, especially since stories about the scandal of
Marie Antoinette’s diamond necklace are circulating. But I also believe that many
are hungry and don’t have enough money to pay for a decent house to live in.
And it doesn’t help either when the nobility and clergy seem to enjoy all the
privileges while the poor have so little.’
‘Did you hear that Dunod, the Count de Charnade, and a group of country
nobles tried to persuade the king to do something about this situation? Of
course, King Louis showed no interest in listening to their ideas and only
wanted to talk about hunting,’ Adelaide retorted.
‘The count’s mother is a friend of my grandmere and you should hear her
complain about the fact that he absolutely refuses to wear a powdered wig. She
is unhappy because he pulls his dark hair back and ties it with a black ribbon.
No, he’s not a pastel satin and lace coat devotee or a white silk stocking sort
of man,’ laughed Marie. ‘I believe he often tells her, “Take off the lead,
mother, and give me the whip.”