Music from Beyond the Grave
Mozart
The spirit of Mozart has just dictated a piece of a sonata to our ex-
cellent medium, Mr. Bryon-Dorgeval. As a means of assessing the
work, the medium had the piece heard by several artists, not indicating
its origin, but only asking for their opinion about the piece. Each of them
acknowledged, without hesitation, Mozart’s style. The piece was executed
in the session of the Society on April 8th last, in the presence of several
knowledgeable persons, of Ms. Davans, Chopin’s pupil and distinguished
pianist, who kindly provided us with her service.
As an element of comparison, Ms. Davans executed beforehand a
sonata that Mozart had composed when alive. Everyone unanimously
agreed, not only with the similarity of styles, but also with the superior-
ity of the spirit’s composition. Then the same pianist executed a piece of
Chopin with his typical talent.
We could not let the opportunity of evoking both composers escape,
then having the following conversation:
1. You know for sure the reason why we called you.
- Your call pleases me.
2. Do you acknowledge as yours the piece that we have just heard?
- Yes, very much so. I recognize it perfectly well. The medium
who served as my interpreter is a friend that has not betrayed me.
3. Which one do you prefer?
- The second one, no doubt.
4. Why?
- The sweetness and charm are more tender and lively in that
one.
NOTE: These are the qualities indicated by others in the
piece.
5. Can the music in the world where you live compare to ours?
- You would have difficulty understanding it. We enjoy senses
that you still don’t have.
6. We were told that there is a natural, universal harmony in your
world that we do not know here.
- It is true. You create music on Earth; here, the whole nature
produces melodious sounds.
7. Could you play piano?
- No doubt I could. But I don’t want to. It would be useless.
8. It would, however, be a powerful means of conviction.
- Aren’t you convinced?
NOTE: Everyone knows that the spirits do not submit themselves
to trials. They frequently and spontaneously do what we have
not asked them to do. As a matter of fact, this type of manifesta-
tion would fall in the category of the physical manifestations, not
proper of the superior spirits.
9. What do you think about the recent publication of your letters?
- They vivified my memory a lot.
10. Your memories are in everyone’s memory. Could you describe the
effect that these letters had on public opinion?
- Yes. They made me more loved. People got more connected
to me as a man than before.
NOTE: The person that framed the last questions, in reality
strange to the Society, confirmed that as the actual opinion
produced in public opinion.
11. We would like to question Chopin. Would that be possible?
Yes. He is sadder and more somber than I am.
Chopin
12. (After the evocation) – Could you tell us about your situation as
a spirit?
- Still errant.
13. Do you miss your Earthly life?
- I am not unhappy.
14. Are you happier than before?
- Yes, a little.
15. You say a little, meaning that there isn’t much difference. What is
it missing so that you can be even happier?
- I say a little for what I could have been, since with my intelligence I could have advanced more than I did.
16. Do you expect to achieve the happiness you miss now?
- It will certainly come but new trials will be needed.
17. Mozart said that you are more somber and sad. Why so?
- Mozart told the truth. I get sad because I did not accomplish a
committed assignment and do not have the courage to restart.
18. How do you see your musical compositions?
- I have them in high account. However, we do it better among
us here, particularly when we have more resources.
19. Who are the members of your orchestra?
- We have legions of musicians at our service that play our com-
positions with a thousand more talents than any one among
you. These are complete musicians. They use their throats as
instruments, so to speak, supported by instruments similar to
organs that retain incredible accuracy and sound quality that
I believe you cannot begin to comprehend.
20. Are you really an errant spirit?
- Yes. That is, I do not exclusively belong to any planet.
21. How about your musicians, are they errant as well?
- Errant like me.
22. (To Mozart) could you kindly explain what Chopin has just said?
We do not understand that execution of music by the errant spirits.
- I understand your surprise. However, we have already said
that there are particular worlds destined to errant beings,
worlds that can be temporarily inhabited, a kind of bivouac
or makeshift resting camp to these spirits, fatigued by a long
erraticity, an always somewhat painful state.
23. (To Chopin) do you recognize one of your students here?
- Yes. It seems.
24. Could you kindly watch the execution of a piece of your
composition?
- That would give me great pleasure, particularly having it ex-
ecuted by a person that has kept a good memory of me. Please
transmit my appreciation to him.
25. Can you give us your opinion about Mozart’s music?
- I like it very much. I consider Mozart my master.
26. Would you share that opinion with respect to today’s music?
- Mozart said that music was better understood in his time
than nowadays. That is true. I will object, however, that there
still are true artists.
NOTE: The fragment of sonata dictated by the spirit of Mozart has
just been published. It may be acquired from the office of the Spiritist
Review or from the bookstore of Mr. Ledoyen, Palais Royal, Galerie
d’Orleans, 31. Price 2 francs – it will be posted against a mail order
of that amount.
