エルンスト・パウアー (Ernst Pauer, 1826-1905) の著作に9人の作曲家ヨハン・ゼバスティアン・バッハ、モーツァルト、ベートーヴェン、ヘンデル、ハイドン、シューベルト、ウェーバー、メンデルスゾーン、ロベルト・シューマンの名を使った折句（あいうえお作文）があったので抜粋しました。内容はそれぞれの作曲家を讃える詩のようです。
SEBASTIAN BACH.
Sweetness in thee and classic taste abound,Erudite master, thorough and profound,
Bringing from tones combined by magic art
All that such great and varied works impart ;
Suite and Sonata, few can thine surpass,
Toccata, Fugue, Concerto, and the Mass,
Inventiones, Preludes and Motetts ;
And who that hears their beauties e'er forgets?
No one, thy sun of music never sets !
Blessed are thus thy labours, and thy name
Adorns our glorious art with boundless fame ;
Celestially inspired, thou dost convey
Happiness pure to cheer us on our way.
MOZART.
More, more than any of thy brother-band,O son of song, exalted dost thou stand,
Zephyr-like breathing forth a potent spell ;
All the world loves thee, loved of God so well.
Richest in genius, though by fortune spurned,
Thou but expressest what from Heaven was learned.
BEETHOVEN.
Beauty comes to thee natural as day,Endless the charms thy melodies display,
Ever complete thy fresh harmonious sway.
True to thyself and true to God above,
Heaven has inspired thy true artistic love ;
Over all obstacles, or small or great,
Victorious, undismayed by adverse fate ;
Energy, grace, and gentleness combine,
None bring us nearer to the fount divine.
HANDEL.
Hallelujah, Glory to the Most High,And praises to His name for evermore,
Never dost thou with rapture cease to pour !
Divine thy power, to Heaven thou bring'st us nigh ;
Eternal will remain thy great renown,
Light from above, through human gifts, sent down.
HAYDN.
Humour and wit, such as we all admire,Arise incessant from thy festive lyre ;
Young, ever young, attractive, pure and clear,
Dear to the aged and to children dear,
Ne'er canst thou fail to charm the grateful ear.
SCHUBERT.
Strains from thy tuneful lyre so pure and sweet,Chords of such rich and mellow tone we meet,
Heaven seems with gracious sympathy to send
Us a warm greeting through a genial friend ;
Beloved by all who real art pursue,
Endeared to all who thy affection knew ;
Remaining still a star of stronger light
Than many now so pale though once so bright.
WEBER.
Where harmony and melody have place,Exist admirers of thy noble muse ;
Beauty, romance, fire, energy and grace,
Earnest discourse and strains that mirth infuse,
Resound for ever from thy tuneful lyre.
MENDELSSOHN.
Muses and Fates, but seldom found combined,Existing here in amity we find, —
Near to thy cradle keeping watch they came
Directing fondly thy precocious aim ;
Exalted zeal soon led thee to the goal,
Labouring with pure integrity of soul ;
Sweet was thy tune, thy fancy warm and chaste,
Strict wast thou to the mission thou'dst embraced ;
Onward still striving, till how soon alas !
Heaven called thee to its own seraphic class, —
Never can'st thou, bright favorite, from remembrance pass.
ROBERT SCHUMANN.
Rich in invention, fancy and design, —Originality of thought was thine ;
Blameless thy soul, and free from guile and ire,
Earnest thy meaning, steadfast thy desire ;
Rigorous thy working highest art to gain,
Tempters assailed with sordid views in vain.
Sure wast thou of acquiring love and fame,
Certain a place among the best to claim ;
Heaven-high aspiring, thou did'st press thy race
Upward, and would'st the universe embrace.
Mental depression came thy life to cloud,
And Melancholy wrapped thee in her shroud ;
Never alas ! could'st thou appreciate more
Nature's most beautiful and bounteous store.
E. P.
